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Page 42
"Are you Doctor Schwaryencrona?"
"I am," answered the doctor, very much astonished at his manners.
He was debating in his mind whether he should ring for his servant to
conduct this offensive person to the door, when a word put a stop to his
intention.
"I saw your advertisement about Patrick O'Donoghan," said the stranger,
"and I thought you would like to know that I can tell you something
about him."
"Take a seat, sir," answered the doctor.
But he perceived that the stranger had not waited to be asked.
After selecting the most comfortable arm-chair, he drew it toward the
doctor, then he seated himself with his hands in his pockets, lifted his
feet and placed his heels on the window-sill, and looked at the doctor
with the most self-satisfied air in the world.
"I thought," he said, "that you would listen to these details with
pleasure, since you offer five hundred pounds for them. That is why I
have called upon you."
The doctor bowed without saying a word.
"Doubtless," continued the other, in his nasal voice, "you are wondering
who I am. I am going to tell you. My card has informed you as to my
name, and I am a British subject."
"Irish perhaps?" asked the doctor with interest.
The Granger, evidently surprised, hesitated a moment, and then said:
"No, Scotch. Oh, I know I do not look like a Scotchman, they take me
very often for a Yankee--but that is nothing--I am Scotch."
As he gave this piece of information, he looked at Dr. Schwaryencrona as
much as to say:
"You can believe what you please, it is a matter of indifference to me."
"From Inverness, perhaps?" suggested the doctor, still clinging to his
favorite theory.
The stranger again hesitated for a moment.
"No, from Edinburgh," he answered. "But that is of no importance after
all, and has nothing to do with the matter in hand. I have an
independent fortune and owe nothing to anybody. If I tell you who I am,
it is because it gives me pleasure to do so, for I am not obliged to do
it."
"Permit me to observe that I did not ask you," said the doctor, smiling.
"No, but do not interrupt me, or we shall never reach the end of this
matter. You published an advertisement to find out what became of
Patrick O'Donoghan, did you not?--you therefore have some interest in
knowing. I know what has become of him."
"You know?" asked the doctor, drawing his seat closer to that of the
stranger.
"I know, but before I tell you, I want to ask you what interest you have
in finding him?"
"That is only just," answered the doctor.
In as few words as possible, he related Erik's history, to which his
visitor listened with profound attention.
"And this boy is still living?" asked Tudor Brown.
"Assuredly he is living. He is in good health, and in October next he
will begin his studies in the Medical University at Upsal."
"Ah! ah!" answered the stranger, who seemed lost in reflection. "Tell
me," he said at length, "have you no other means of solving this mystery
of his birth except by finding Patrick O'Donoghan?"
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