CHAPTER XII.
Inspector Cutting, upon the first tidings of the robbery, came at once,and assured me that he knew the "party" well, and wanted her for severalother plants, and crafty as she was ("leary" was the elegant word heused) he was sure to be down upon her in the course of a very shorttime.
Isola Ross, to my great surprise, did not come the next day, nor eventhe day after; so I set out to look for her, at the same time wonderingat myself for doing so. Knowing that College Street must take its namefrom some academic building in or near it, I concluded of course thatthere I should find Professor Ross and my lovely new friend. So withoutconsulting Mrs. Shelfer, who would have chattered for an hour, away Iwent one tine frosty morning to ask about the College.
I found that a low unsightly building, which I had often passed, nearthe bottom of the street, was the only College there; so I entered asmall quadrangle, to make further inquiries.
The first person I saw was a young man dressed like one of my father'sgrooms, and cracking a long whip and whistling. He had a brilliantscarlet neckcloth, green sporting coat, and black boots up to his knees.I studied him for a moment because it struck me that he would look wellin a foreground, when toned down a little, as water colours would renderhim. He appreciated my attention, and seemed proud of it.
"Now, Polly, what can I do for you, dear?"
He must have been three parts drunk, or he would never have dared toaddress me so. Of course I made no answer, but walked on. He crackedhis whip like a pistol, to startle me.
"Splendid filly," I heard him mutter, "but cussed high action." What hemeant I do not know or care.
The next I met was a fussy little man, dressed all in brown, who smeltof musty hay.
"Will you kindly tell me," I asked, "where to find Professor Ross?'
"Ross, Ross! Don't know the name. No Ross about here. What's heProfessor of?"
"That I was not told. But it is something the young ladies study."
"No young ladies about here. But I see you have brought your dearmamma's lapdog. Take it out of the bag. Let me look at it."
"Is not this the College?"
"Yes to be sure. The best College in London. Quick, let me see thedog."
"I have no dog, sir. I have made some mistake."
"Then you have got a pony. Pet over-fed. Shetland breed."
"No indeed. Nothing except myself; and I am looking for Miss Ross."
"Young lady, you have made a very great mistake. You have kept me fiveminutes from a lecture on the navicular disease. And my practice iscontroverted by an upstart youth from the country. I am in search ofauthorities." And off he darted, I suppose to the library.
It was clear that I had made some mistake, so I found my way back to thestreet, and asked in the nearest shop what building it was that I hadjust left.
"Oh, them's the weterans," said the woman, "and a precious set they be!"
"Why, they did not look like soldiers."
"No, no, Miss. Weterans, where they takes in all the sick horses anddogs. And very clever they are, I have heard say."
"And where is the College where the young ladies are?"
"I don't know of no other College nearer than High Street, where theboys wear flat caps. But there's a girls' school down the road."
"I don't want a school. I want a College where young ladies go."
"Then I cant help you, Miss." And back I went to consult Mrs. Shelfer.
"Bless my soul, Miss Valence," cried the little woman, out of breathwith amazement, "have you been among them niggers? It's a mercy theydidn't skin and stuff you. What do you think now they did to my oldTom?"
"How can I guess, Mrs. Shelfer?"
"No, no, to be sure not. I forgot, my good friend. Why, they knowed himwell it seems, because he had been there in dear Miss Minto's time, fora salmon bone that had got crossways in his oesop, so they said atleast, but they are the biggest liars--so only a year ago come nextBoxing-day, here comes to the door half a dozen of them, bus-cad andcoachman all in one, all looking as grave as judges. When I went to thedoor they all pulled their hats off, as if I had been the Queen at thevery least. 'What can I do for you, my good friends?' says I; forShelfer was out of the way, and catch me letting them in for all theirpoliteness. No, no, thank you. 'Mrs. Shelfer,' says the biggest ofthem, a lantern-jawed young fellow with covers over his pockets, 'Mrs.Shelfer, you are possessed of a most remarkable cat. An animal, ma'am,of unparalleled cemetery and organic dewelopment. Our Professor, ma'am,is delivering a course of lectures on the Canonical Heapatightness ofthe Hirumbillycuss."
"Well done, Mrs. Shelfer! What a memory you must have!"
"Pretty well, Miss, pretty well. Particular for long words, when Ilikes the sound of them. 'Well sir,' I says, feeling rather takenaback, 'thank God I haven't got it.' 'No, ma'am,' says he, 'yourblooming countenance entirely negatives any such dyingnoses. But theProfessor, in passing the other morning, observed some symptoms of it inyour magnificent cat, for whom he entertains the most sincereattachment, and whom he will cure for our advancement and edificationupon the lecture table. And now, ma'am, Professor Sallenders desireshis most respectful compliments, and will you allow us to take that deargood cat to be cured. The Professor was instrumental once in preservinghis honoured existence, therefore he feels assured that you will not nowrefuse him.' Well you see, Miss, I didn't half like to let him go, butI was afraid to offend the Professor, because of all my animals, for Iknew that he could put a blight upon them, birds and all, if he chose.Old Tom was lying roasting his back again the fender, the same as yousee him now, poor soul; so I catched him up and put him in a doublecovered basket, with a bit of flannel over him, because the weather wascold; and he was so clever, would you believe it, he put up his old pawsto fight me, he knew he was going to mischief, and that turned merather. 'Now will you promise to bring him back safe?' I says.'Ma'am,' says the lantern-jawed young man, bowing over his heart, and asserious as a pulpit, 'Ma'am, in less than an hour. Rely upon the honourof Weteran Arian Gent."
"Well, Mrs. Shelfer, I am astonished. Even I should never have been sosilly. Poor old Tom among the Philistines!"
"Well, Miss, I began to feel very uneasy directly they was gone. Ithought they looked back so queerly, and old Tom was mewing so dreadfulin the basket. Presently I began to hear a mewing out of the cupboard,and a mewing out of the clock, and even out of the dripping-pan. So Iput on my bonnet as quick as I could, and ran right away to the College,and somehow or other by the time I got there, I was in a fright allover. As good luck would have it, the man was at the gate; a nicerespectable married man, and a friend of Charley's. 'Curbs,' I says,'where is Professor Sallenders?' 'Down in the country,' says he, 'sincelast Friday. He never stops here at Christmas, Mrs. Shelfer, he's adeal too knowing for that.' My heart went pop, Miss, like an oystershell in the fire. I held on by the door, and I thought it was all upwith me. 'Don't take on so, Missus,' says Curbs, 'if any of your museumis ill, there's half a dozen clever young coves in the operating roomover there, only they're busy just now, cutting up a big black cat. Myeyes, how he did squeal!' I screamed out and ran--Curbs thought I wasmad, and he was not far out--bang went the door before me, and there onthe table, with the lantern-jawed young man flourishing a big knife overhim, there lay my precious old Tom strapped down on his back, with hismouth tied up in white tape, and leather gloves over his feet, andsticks trussed across him the same as a roasting rabbit, and a streak ofwhite all along his blessed stomach--you know, Miss, he hadn't got onewhite hair by rights--where the niggers had shaved and floured him, tosee what they were about. He turned up his dear old eyes when he sawme; it would have made you cry, and he tried to speak. Oh you preciousold soul, didn't I scatter them right and left? I scratched thatlantern-jawed hypocrite's face till I gave him the hirumbillycuss andhirumtommycuss too, I expect. I called a policeman in, and there wasn'tone of them finished his Christmas in London. But
the poor old soul hasnever been the same cat since. The anxiety he was in, turned his hairwhite on both sides of his heart and all round the backs of his ears.He wouldn't come to the door, he shook so, at the call of the cat's-meatman for better than a month, and he won't look at it now, while there'sa skewer in it."
The poor little woman was crying with pity and rage. Old Tom looked upall the time as if he knew all she said, and then jumped on her lap, andshowed his paws, and purred.
Meanwhile, a change had come over my intentions. Perhaps all therudeness I had met with that day had called my pride into arms. At anyrate, much as I liked pretty Isola, and much as I longed for her freshwarm kindness, I now resolved to wait until she should choose to seekme. So I did not even ask Mrs. Shelfer whether she knew the Collegewhere the Professor lectured. What were love and warm young hearts tome? I deserved such a rebuff for swerving so from my duty. Now I wouldgive all my thoughts to the art, whence only could spring any hope ofattaining my end, and the very next day I would follow thepicture-dealer's advice.