he had been doomed to be imprisoned, even in
her own house, until she consented to be the wife of one whom, however
he might have won upon her regard by fair and honest courtship, she
hated and repulsed for this traitorous and forcible detention. Yet
they had not dared to let her go, lest the secrets of her prison-house
should be told. The false beggar, whose real name was Clegg, having
become an adept in the art of coining, acquired during his residence
abroad, and likewise having arrived at the knowledge of many chemical
secrets long hidden from the vulgar and uninitiated, had leagued
himself with one of the like sort, together with his own son, a
handsome well-favoured youth (whose mother he had rescued from a
Spanish convent), for the purpose of carrying on a most extensive
manufacture and issue of counterfeit money of several descriptions.
His former knowledge, when young, of his ancestors' mansion at Clegg
Hall suggested the fitness of this spot for their establishment. Its
situation was sequestered; and the ancient vaults, though nearly
filled with rubbish, might yet be made available for their purpose.
The secret entrance, and, above all, the currently-believed story of
the ghost, might afford facilities for frightening away those who were
disposed to be curious; and any noises unavoidable in the course of
their operations might be attributed to this fruitful source of
imposture. By a little dexterity, possession of the haunted chamber
was obtained, the feigned beggar being a periodical visitant; thence a
ready entrance was contrived, and all materials were introduced that
were needful for their fraudulent proceedings. Many months their
traffic was carried on without discovery; and in the beggar's wallet
counterfeit money to a considerable amount was conveyed, and
distributed by other agents into general circulation. Well might he
say that boundless wealth was at their command; the means employed in
disposing of the proceeds of their ingenuity were well calculated for
the purpose. They had proposed, by machinations and alarms, to drive
away utterly the present inhabitants and possessors of the Hall. The
reign of terror was about to commence, plans being already matured for
this purpose, had not the younger Clegg seen Alice Haworth; and love,
that mighty controller of human affairs and devices, most
inopportunely frustrated their intentions. The elder Clegg, too, was
induced to aid the design, hoping that, should