let in any of Dolly's
profligate friends, but especially the chap he had found there; adding,
"'T is as much as my nephew's life is worth; and, what is more to the
purpose, as much as your bill is." Accordingly, when Jasper presented
himself at Poole's door again that very evening, the landlady apprised
him of her orders; and, proof to his insinuating remonstrances, closed
the door in his face. But a French chronicler has recorded that when
Henry IV. was besieging Paris, though not a loaf of bread could enter
the walls, love-letters passed between city and camp as easily as if
there had been no siege at all. And does not Mercury preside over
money as well as Love? Jasper, spurred on by Madame Caumartin, who was
exceedingly anxious to exchange London for St. Petersburg as soon as
possible, maintained a close and frequent correspondence with Poole
by the agency of the nurse, who luckily was not above being bribed by
shillings. Poole continued to reject the villany proposed by
Jasper; but, in course of the correspondence, he threw out rather
incoherently--for his mind began somewhat to wander--a scheme equally
flagitious, which Jasper, aided perhaps by Madame Caumartin's yet
keener wit, caught up, and quickly reduced to deliberate method. Old Mr.
Latham, amongst the bills he discounted, kept those of such more bashful
customers as stipulated that their resort to temporary accommodation
should be maintained a profound secret in his own safe. Amongst these
bills Poole knew that there was one for L1,000 given by a young nobleman
of immense estates, but so entailed that he could neither sell nor
mortgage, and, therefore, often in need of a few hundreds for pocket
money. The nobleman's name stood high. His fortune was universally
known; his honour unimpeachable. A bill of his any one would cash at
sight. Could Poole but obtain that bill! It had, he believed, only a
few weeks yet to run. Jasper or Madame Caumartin might get it discounted
even by Lord -------'s own banker; and if that were too bold, by any
professional bill-broker, and all three be off before a suspicion could
arise. But to get at that safe, a false key might be necessary. Poole
suggested a waxen impression of the lock. Jasper sent him a readier
contrivance,--a queer-looking tool, that looked an instrument of
torture. All now necessary was for Poole to recover sufficiently to
return to business, and to get rid of Uncle Sam by a promise to run
down to the country t