"The Gerrard Street mystery (1888) by John Charles Dent" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dent John Charles)

of a few years, he had risen from the position of a junior clerk to that of
senior partner in a prominent commercial house. He painted the land of his
adoption in glowing colours, and assured my uncle and myself that it presented
an inviting field for a young man of energy and business capacity, more
especially if he had a small capital at his command. The matter was carefully
debated in our domestic circle. I was naturally averse to a separation from
Alice, but my imagination took fire at Mr. Redpath's glowing account of his own
splendid success. I pictured myself returning to Canada after an absence of four
or five years with a mountain of gold at my command, as the result of my own
energy and acuteness. In imagination, I saw myself settled down with Alice in a
palatial mansion on Jarvis Street, and living in affluence all the rest of my
days. My uncle bade me consult my own judgement in the matter, but rather
encouraged the idea than otherwise. He offered to advance me г500, and I had
about half that sum as the result of my own speculations. Mr. Redpath, who was
just about returning to Melbourne, promised to aid me to the extent of his power
with his local knowledge and advice. In less than a fortnight from that time he
and I were on our way to the other side of the globe.
We reached our destination early in the month of September, 1857. My life in
Australia has no direct bearing upon the course of events to be related, and may
be passed over in a very few words. I engaged in various enterprises, and
achieved a certain measure of success. If none of my ventures proved eminently
prosperous, I at least met with no serious disasters. At the end of four
years--that is to say, in September, 1861--I made up my account with the world,
and found I was worth ten thousand dollars. I had, however, become terribly
homesick, and longed for the termination of my voluntary exile. I had, of
course, kept up a regular correspondence with Alice and Uncle Richard, and of
late they had both pressed me to return home. "You have enough", wrote my uncle,
"to give you a start in Toronto, and I see no reason why Alice and you should
keep apart any longer. You will have no housekeeping expenses, for I intend you
to live with me. I am getting old, and shall be glad of your companionship in my
declining years. You will have a comfortable home while I live, and when I die
you will get all I have between you. Write as soon as you receive this, and let
us know how soon you can be here,--the sooner the better."
The letter containing this pressing invitation found me in a mood very much
disposed to accept it. The only enterprise I had on hand which would be likely
to delay me was a transaction in wool, which, as I believed, would be closed by
the end of January or the beginning of February. By the first of March I should
certainly be in a condition to start on my homeward voyage, and I determined
that my departure should take place about that time. I wrote both to Alice and
my uncle, apprising them of my intention, and announcing my expectation to reach
Toronto not later than the middle of May.
The letters so written were posted on the 19th of September, in time for the
mail which left on the following day. On the 27th, to my huge surprise and
gratification, the wool transaction referred to was unexpectedly concluded, and
I was at liberty, if so disposed, to start for home by the next fast mail
steamer, the Southern Cross, leaving Melbourne on the 11th of October. I was so
disposed, and made my preparations accordingly. It was useless, I reflected, to
write to my uncle or to Alice, acquainting them with the change in my plans, for
I should take the shortest route home, and should probably be in Toronto as soon
as a letter could get there. I resolved to telegraph from New York, upon my