June 9, 2025 • 31 mins
Amidst the glitz and glamour of Great Britain in the year 18--, the charming and wealthy Simon Carne made his mark in high society. Rubbing shoulders with royalty and even winning the Derby and the Queens Cup, Carne was the talk of the town. Yet, behind the veneer of prosperity, a sinister series of swindles, burglaries, and other crimes was putting London on edge. The enigmatic detective Klimo was hot on the trail of these mysteries, trying to bring the perpetrators to justice. But unbeknownst to the city, Klimo and Carne were the same person, leading a double life that kept everyone in the dark. The veil of secrecy was only lifted when a startling confession was extracted from Carne by Lord Amberly, earning him the moniker of the Prince of Swindlers. Join us as we delve into this compelling tale narrated by Dr. PGould.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Section eleven of A Prince of Swindlers by Guy Boothby.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Linda MraY Nielsen, Vancouver,
(00:22):
b C. A Prince of Swindlers by Guy Boothby, Chapter seven,
Part one, the Man of Many Crimes. If one consults
a dictionary, one finds that the word nypsomaniac means a
man who spends his life continually desiring alcoholic liquor. A
(00:46):
name that properly classifies it has not yet been invented
for the individual who exhibits a perpetual craving for notoriety,
and yet one is perhaps as much a nuisance to
society as the other. After his run of success, there
(01:07):
came a time when Simon Karn, like Alexander the Great,
could have sat down and wept for the reason that
he had no more worlds to conquer. For the moment,
it seemed as if he had exhausted, to put it plainly,
every species of artistic villainy. He had won the derby
(01:30):
under peculiar circumstances as narrated elsewhere, he had rendered a
signal through an ostentatious service to the state. He had stolen,
under enormous difficulty, the most famous family jewels in Europe,
and he had relieved the most fashionable bride and bridegroom
(01:52):
of the season of the valuable presence that their friends
and relations had lavished on them. On a morning following
a banquet at the mansion house at which he had
been a welcome as well as a conspicuous guest, he
was sitting alone in his study, smoking a meditative cigar.
(02:14):
Though the world would scarcely have thought it, a fashionable
life did not suit him, and he was beginning to
wonder whether he was not, after all, a little tired
of England. He was hungering for the warmth and color
of the East, and, perhaps, if the truth must be told,
(02:35):
for something of the rest he had known in the
Maraodja of Kadir's Lake Palace, where he had been domiciled
when he had first made the acquaintance of the man
who had been his sponsor in English society, the Earl
of Amberley. It was a strange coincidence that, while he
(02:59):
was thinking of that nobleman, and of the events which
had followed the introduction just referred to. His quick ears
should have caught the sound of a bell that was
destined eventually to lead him up to one of the
most sensational adventures of all his sensational career. A moment later,
(03:23):
his butler entered to inform him that Lady Caroline Waltershaw
and the Earl of Amberley had called and would like
to see him. Tossing his cigar into the grate, he
passed through the door Ramgauffeur held open for him, and,
having crossed the hall, entered the drawing room. As he
(03:44):
went he wondered what it was that had brought them
to see him at such an early hour. Both were
among his more intimate acquaintances, and both occupied distinguished positions
in the social life of the world great metropolis. While
her friends and relations spent their time in search of
(04:06):
amusement and a seemingly eternal round of guilleties which involved
a waste of both health and money, Lady Caroline, who
was the ugly duckling of an otherwise singularly handsome family,
put her life to a different use. Philanthropy was her hobby,
(04:26):
and scarcely a day passed in which she did not
speak at some meeting, preside over some committee, or endeavor
in some way, as she somewhat grand deloquently put it,
to better the lives and emulate the conditions of our
less fortunate fellow creatures. In appearance, she was a short,
(04:48):
fair woman of about forty five years of age, with
a not unhandsome face, the effect of which, however, was
completely spoilt by too large and protruding teeth. My dear
Lady Caroline, this is indeed kind of you, said Carne
as he shook hands with her. And also of you,
(05:12):
Lord Amberley, to what happy circumstance may I attribute the
pleasure of this visit? I fear it is dreadfully early
for us to come to see you, replied her ladyship.
But Lord Amberley assured me that it that, as our
business is so pressing, you would forgive us pray, do
(05:34):
not apologize, returned Karn. It gives me the greatest possible
pleasure to see you. As for the hour, I am
ashamed to confess that, while the morning is no longer young,
I have only just finished breakfast. But won't you sit down?
They seated themselves once more, and when they had done so,
(05:57):
Lady Caroline unfolded her tale. As you are perhaps aware,
my friends say that I never come to see them
unless it is to attempt to extort money from them
for some charitable purpose. She said, No, you need not
prepare to button up your pockets, mister Caran. I'm not
(06:18):
going to ask you for anything to day. What I
do want, however, is to endeavor to persuade you to
help us in a movement we are inaugurating to raise
money with which to relieve the great distress in the
Canary Islands brought about by the late disastrous earthquake. My cousin,
(06:40):
the Marquis of Lavistock, has kindly promised to act as president.
And although we started it but yesterday, ten thousand pounds
have already been subscribed. As you are aware, however, if
we are to attract public attention and support, the fund's
(07:01):
raised must be representative of all classes. Our intention therefore
is to hold a drawing room meeting at my house
tomorrow afternoon, when a number of the most prominent people
of the day will be invited to give us their
views on the subject. I feel sure if you will
(07:23):
only consent to throw in your lot with us, and
to assist in carrying out what we have in view,
we shall be able to raise a sum of at
least one hundred thousand pounds for the benefit of the sufferers.
Our kind friend here, Lord Amberley, has promised to act
(07:44):
as secretary, and his efforts will be invaluable to us.
Royalty has signified its gracious approval, and it is expected
will head the list with a handsome donation. Every class
will be appealed to. Ministers of religion of all known
denominations will be invited to co operate. And if you
(08:07):
will only consent to allow your name to appear upon
the personnel of the committee, and will allow us to
advertise your name as a speaker at tomorrow's meeting, I
feel sure there is nothing we shall not be able
to achieve. I shall be delighted to help you in
(08:28):
any way I can, Carne replied. If my name is
likely to be any assistance to you, I beg you
will make use of it. In the meantime, if you
will permit me, I will forward you a check for
one thousand pounds, being my contribution to the fund. You
have so charitably started. Her ladyship beamed with delight, and
(08:52):
even Lord Amberley's smiled gracious approval. You are generous, indeed,
said Lady Caroline. I only wish others would imitate your example.
She did not say that wealthy though her she herself was,
she had only contributed ten pounds to the fund. It
(09:13):
is well known that while she inaugurated large works of charity,
she seldom contributed very largely to them. As a wit
once remarked, philanthropy was her virtue and meanness was her vice. Egad,
said Amberley. If you are going to open up your
purse strings like that, Carn, I shall feel called upon
(09:37):
to do the same. Then let me have the pleasure
of booking both amounts at once, cried her Ladyship, at
the same time whipping out her note book and pencil
with flattering alacrity. I shall be delighted, said Karn, with
a smile of eagerness, I also replied Amberley, and in
(09:59):
a trice, both amounts were written down. Having gained her point,
her Ladyship rose to say good bye. Lord Amberley immediately
imitated her example. You will not forget, will you, mister Carne,
said she I am to have the pleasure of seeing
you at my house tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock. We
(10:23):
shall look forward to hearing your speech, and I need
not remind you that every word you utter will be
listened to with the closest attention. At three tomorrow afternoon,
said carn, I shall be at your house. You need
not fear that I shall forget. And now since you
(10:45):
think you must be going, good bye, and many thanks
to you for asking me. He escorted them to the
carriage which was waiting outside, and when he had watched
it drive away, returned to a stone to write the
check he had promised her. Having done so, he did
not rise from his chair, but continued to sit at
(11:08):
his writing table, biting the feather of his quill pen
and staring at the blotting pad before him. A great
and glorious notion had suddenly come into his head, and
the majesty of it was, for the moment holding him spellbound.
If only it could be worked, he said to himself,
(11:31):
what a glorious coop it would be. The question for
my consideration is can it be done to invite the
people of England to subscribe its pounds shillings and pence
for my benefit would be a glorious notion, and just
the sort of thing I should enjoy. Besides which I
(11:53):
have to remember that I am a thousand pounds to
the bad already, and that must come back from somewhere.
For the present, however, I'll put the matter aside. After
the meeting tomorrow I shall have something tangible to go upon,
and then, if I still feel in the same mind,
(12:14):
it will be strange if I can't find some way
of doing what I want. In the meantime, I shall
have to think out my speech upon that will depend
a good deal of my success. It is a strange
world in which it is ordained that so much should
depend upon so little. At five minutes to three o'clock
(12:39):
on the following afternoon, Simon Karne might have been observed
that I believe is the correct expression. Strolling across from
Aspley House to Glouchester Place, reaching Lord Walter Shall's residence,
he discovered a long row of carriages lining the pavement
(13:01):
and settling down their occupants at his lordship's door. Carn
followed the stream into the house and was carried by
it up the stairs towards the large drawing room where
the meeting was to be held. Already about a hundred
persons were present, and it was evident that if they
(13:22):
continued to arrive at the same rate, it would not
be long before the room would be filled to overflowing.
Seeing Lady Caroline bidding her friends welcome near the door,
Karn hastened to shake hands with her. It is so
very good of you to come, she said, as she
took his hand. Remember, we are looking to you for
(13:46):
a rousing speech this afternoon. We want one that will
inflame all England and touch the heart strings of every
man and woman in the land. To touch their purse
strings would perhaps be more to the point, said Karn,
with one of his quiet smiles. Let us hope we
(14:08):
shall touch them too, she replied, Now, would you mind
going to the dais at the other end of the room.
You will find Lord Laverstock there talking to my husband,
I think. Karn bowed and went forward as he had
been directed. So soon as it was known that the
celebrities had arrived, the meeting was declared open and the
(14:32):
speech making commenced. Clever as some of them were, it
could not be doubted that Carne's address was the event
of the afternoon. He was a born speaker, and what more,
despite the short notice he had received, he made himself
thoroughly conversant with his subject. His handsome face was on
(14:55):
fire with excitement, and his sonorous voice rang through the
large room like a trumpet call. When he sat down,
it was amidst a burst of applause. Lord Laverstok leant
forward and shook hands with him. Your speech will be
read all over England tomorrow morning, he said. It should
(15:18):
make a difference of thousands of pounds to the fund.
I congratulate you most heartily upon it. Simon Carne felt
that if it was really going to make that difference,
he might, in the light of future events, heartily congratulate himself. He, however,
accepted the praise showered upon him with becoming modesty, and
(15:42):
during the next speaker's exhibition of halting elocution, amused himself
watching the faces before him and speculating as to what
they would say when the surprise he was going to
spring upon them came known. Half an hour later, when
the committee had been elected and the meeting had broken up,
(16:06):
he bade his friends good bye and set off on
his return home. That evening, he was dining at home,
intending to call at his club afterwards, and to drop
in at a reception and two dances between ten and midnight.
After dinner, however, he changed his mind, and, having instructed
(16:29):
Ramgaufer to deny him all callers and countermanding his order
for a carriage, went to his study, where he locked
himself in and sat down to smoke and think. He
had set himself a puzzle which would have taxed the
brain of that arc schemer Macavelli himself. He was, not, however,
(16:55):
going to be beaten by it. There must be some
way he told himself, in which the fraud could be worked,
and if there was, he was going to find it.
Numberless were the plans he formed, only to discover a
few moments later that some little difficulty rendered each impracticable. Suddenly,
(17:18):
throwing down the pencil with which he had been writing,
he sprang to his feet and began eagerly to pace
the room. It was evident from the expression upon his
face that he had touched upon a train of thought
that was at last likely to prove productive. Reaching the
(17:40):
fireplace for about the thirtieth time, he paused and gazed
into the fireless grate. After standing there for a few moments,
he turned and, with his hands in his pockets, said
solemnly to himself, Yes, I think it can be done.
Erever the train of thought may have been that led
(18:03):
him to make this declaration, it was plain that it
afforded him no small amount of satisfaction. He did not, however,
commit himself at once to a decision, but continued to
think over the scheme he had hit upon until he
had completely mastered it. It was nearly midnight before he
(18:27):
was thoroughly satisfied. Then he followed his invariable practice on
such occasions and rang for the imitable beltin. When he
had admitted him to the room, he bade him close
and lock the door behind him. By the time this
had been done, he had lit a fresh cigar and
(18:50):
had once more taken up his position on the hearth rug.
I sent for you to say that I have just
made up my mind to try a little scheme compared
with which all I have done so far will sink
into insignificance. What is it, sir, asked Belton. I will
(19:12):
tell you, but you must not look so terrified. Put
in a few words, it is neither more nor less
than to attempt to divert the enormous sums of money
which the prodiggal English public is taking out of its
pocket in order to assist the people of the Canary
(19:33):
Islands who have lost so severely by their recent terrible
earthquake into my own. Belton's face expressed his astonishment. But
my dear sir, he said, that's a fund of which
the Marquis of Laverstock is president, and of whose committee
(19:54):
you are one of the principal members. Exactly, answered Karne.
It is to those two happy circumstances I shall later
on attribute the success I now mean to attain. Lord
Laverstock is merely a pompous old nobleman whose hobby is philanthropy.
(20:16):
This lesson will do him good. It will be strange
if before I am a week older, I cannot twist
him round my finger. Now for my instructions. In the
first place, you must find me a moderate sized house,
fit for an elderly lady, and situated in a fairly
(20:37):
fashionable quarter, say South Kensington. Furnish it on the higher
system from one of the big firms, and engage three
servants who can be relied upon to do their work, and,
what is more important, who can hold their tongues. Next,
find me an old lady to impersonate the mistress of
(21:00):
the house. She must be very frail and delicate looking,
and you will arrange with some livery stable people in
the neighborhood to supply her with a carriage in which
she will go for an airing every afternoon, in order
that the neighborhood may become familiar with her personality. Both
(21:21):
she and the servants must be made to thoroughly understand
that their only chance of obtaining anything from me depends
upon their carrying out my instructions to the letter. Also,
while they are in the house, they must keep themselves
to themselves. My identity, of course, must not transpire as
(21:45):
soon as I give the signal. The old lady must
keep to the house, and the neighborhood must be allowed
to understand that she is seriously ill. The day following
she will be worse, and the next she will be dead.
You will then make arrangements for a funeral, order a coffin,
(22:05):
and arrange for the conveyance of the body to Southampton.
En route for the Channel Islands, where she is to
be buried at Southampton. A yacht which I will arrange
for myself, will be in readiness to carry us out
to see. Do you think you understand perfectly, Sir Bolton replied,
(22:28):
but I wish I could persuade you to give up
the attempt. You will excuse my saying so, sir, I hope,
But it does seem to me a pity when you
have done so much to risk losing it all over
such a dangerous bit of business as this. It surely
(22:49):
can't succeed, Sir Belton said, Carne, very seriously. You strike
me as being in a strange humor to night, and
I can not say that I like it. Were it
not that I have the most implicit confidence in you,
I should begin to think you were turning honest. In
(23:11):
that case our connection would be likely to be a
very short one. I hope, Sir Belton answered, in alarm,
that you still believe I am as devoted as ever
to your interests. I do believe it, Carne replied. Let
the manner in which you carry out the various instructions
(23:34):
I have just given you confirm me in that belief.
This is Wednesday. I shall expect you to come to
me on Saturday with a report that the house has
been taken and furnished, and that the servants are installed,
and the delicate old lady in residence. You may rely
(23:55):
upon my doing my best, Sir. I feel sure of that,
said Karn, And now that all is arranged, I think
I will go to bed. A week later, a committee
of the Canary Island Relief Fund was able to announce
to the world, through the calms of the Daily Press,
(24:16):
that the generous public of England has subscribed no less
a sum than one hundred thousand pounds for the relief
of the sufferers by the late earthquake. The same day
Karn attended a committee meeting in Gloucester Place. A proposition
advanced by Lady Waltershall and second by Simon Karn, was
(24:39):
carried unanimously. It was to the effect that in a
week's time such members of the Relief Committee as could
get away, should start for the scene of the calamity
in the Chairman's yacht, which had been placed at their disposal,
taking with them for distribution among the imper first inhabitants
(25:01):
of the islands. The sum already subscribed, namely one hundred
thousand pounds in English gold. They would then be able,
with the assistance of the English Council, to personally superintend
the distribution of their money, and also be in a
(25:21):
position to report to the subscribers when they returned to England,
the manner in which the money had been utilized. In
that case, said Carne, who had not only seconded the
motion but had put the notion into Lady Waltershaw's head.
(25:42):
It might as be as well if our chairmen would
interview the authorities of the bank and arrange that the
amount in question shall be packed ready for delivery to
the messengers he may select to call for it before
the date in question. I will make it my business
to call the bank tomorrow morning, replied the Chairman. And
(26:05):
perhaps you, mister Carn, would have no objection to accompany me,
if it will facilitate the business of this committee. I
shall be only too pleased to do so, said Karn,
And so it was settled on a Tuesday afternoon, six
days later, and two days before the date upon which
(26:27):
it had been arranged that the committee should sail. The
Marquis of Laverstock received a letter Lady Caroline Walter Shaw,
the Earl of Amberley, and Simon Karn were with him
when he opened it. He read it through and then
read it again, after which he turned to his guests.
(26:48):
This is really a very extraordinary communication, he said, and
it affects the matter we have most at heart. Perhaps
I had better read it to you. One hundred fifty
four Great Chesterston Street, Tuesday Evening, to the most noble
(27:08):
the Marquis of Laverstock k G. Berkeley Square. My Lord,
as one who has been permitted to enjoy a long
and peaceful life in a country where such visitations are
happily unknown, I take the liberty of writing to your
lordship to say how very much I should like to
(27:30):
subscribe to the fund so nobly started by you and
your friends to assist the poor people who have lost
so much by the earthquake in the Canary Islands. Being
a lonely old woman blessed by the providence with some
small share of worldly wealth, I feel it my duty
(27:51):
to make some small sacrifice to help others who have
not been so blessed. Unfortunately, I do not enjoy very
good health, but if your Lordship could spare a moment
to call upon me. I would like to thank you,
in the name of womanhood for all you have done,
and in proof of my gratitude, would willingly give you
(28:14):
my check for the sum of ten thousand pounds, to
add to the amount already subscribed. I am permitted by
my doctors to see visitors between the hours of eleven
and twelve in the morning and five and six in
the afternoon. I should then be both honored and pleased
to see your Lordship, Trusting you will concede me this
(28:38):
small favor. I have the honor to be yours, very sincerely,
Janet O'Halleran. There was a momentarily pause after his lordship
had finished reading the letter. What will you do? Inquired
Lady Caroline. It is a noble offering, put in Simon Karne.
(29:00):
I think there cannot be two opinions as to what
is my duty, replied the Chairman. I shall accede to
her request, though why she wants to see me is
more than I can tell. As she hints in the letter,
she wishes to congratulate you personally on what you have done,
continued the Earl of Amberley. And as it will be
(29:24):
the handsomeness donation we have yet received. It will perhaps
be as well to humor her. In that case, I
will do as I say and make it my business
to call there this afternoon between five and six. And
now it is my duty to report to you that
(29:45):
mister Simon Karne and I waited upon the authorities at
the bank this morning and arranged that the sum of
one hundred thousand pounds in gold shall be ready for
our messengers when they call for it, either tomorrow morning
or tomorrow afternoon at latest. It is a large sum
(30:06):
to take with us, said Lady Caroline. I trust it
will not prove a temptation to thieves. You need not
have fear on that score, replied his Lordship. As I
have explained to the manager, my own trusted servants will
effect the removal of the money, accompanied by two private
(30:27):
detectives who will remain on board my yacht until we
weigh anchor we have left nothing to chance to make
the matter doubly sure. I have also arranged that the
money shall not be handled over except to a person
who shall present my check and at that same time
show this signet ring which I now wear upon my finger.
(30:52):
The other members of the Committee express themselves as perfectly
satisfied with this arrangement, and when certain other business have
been transacted, the meeting broke up end of Section eleven.
Recording by Lyndamree Nielsen, Vancouver, BC,
Section eleven of A Prince of Swindlers by Guy Boothby.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Linda MraY Nielsen, Vancouver,
(00:22):
b C. A Prince of Swindlers by Guy Boothby, Chapter seven,
Part one, the Man of Many Crimes. If one consults
a dictionary, one finds that the word nypsomaniac means a
man who spends his life continually desiring alcoholic liquor. A
(00:46):
name that properly classifies it has not yet been invented
for the individual who exhibits a perpetual craving for notoriety,
and yet one is perhaps as much a nuisance to
society as the other. After his run of success, there
(01:07):
came a time when Simon Karn, like Alexander the Great,
could have sat down and wept for the reason that
he had no more worlds to conquer. For the moment,
it seemed as if he had exhausted, to put it plainly,
every species of artistic villainy. He had won the derby
(01:30):
under peculiar circumstances as narrated elsewhere, he had rendered a
signal through an ostentatious service to the state. He had stolen,
under enormous difficulty, the most famous family jewels in Europe,
and he had relieved the most fashionable bride and bridegroom
(01:52):
of the season of the valuable presence that their friends
and relations had lavished on them. On a morning following
a banquet at the mansion house at which he had
been a welcome as well as a conspicuous guest, he
was sitting alone in his study, smoking a meditative cigar.
(02:14):
Though the world would scarcely have thought it, a fashionable
life did not suit him, and he was beginning to
wonder whether he was not, after all, a little tired
of England. He was hungering for the warmth and color
of the East, and, perhaps, if the truth must be told,
(02:35):
for something of the rest he had known in the
Maraodja of Kadir's Lake Palace, where he had been domiciled
when he had first made the acquaintance of the man
who had been his sponsor in English society, the Earl
of Amberley. It was a strange coincidence that, while he
(02:59):
was thinking of that nobleman, and of the events which
had followed the introduction just referred to. His quick ears
should have caught the sound of a bell that was
destined eventually to lead him up to one of the
most sensational adventures of all his sensational career. A moment later,
(03:23):
his butler entered to inform him that Lady Caroline Waltershaw
and the Earl of Amberley had called and would like
to see him. Tossing his cigar into the grate, he
passed through the door Ramgauffeur held open for him, and,
having crossed the hall, entered the drawing room. As he
(03:44):
went he wondered what it was that had brought them
to see him at such an early hour. Both were
among his more intimate acquaintances, and both occupied distinguished positions
in the social life of the world great metropolis. While
her friends and relations spent their time in search of
(04:06):
amusement and a seemingly eternal round of guilleties which involved
a waste of both health and money, Lady Caroline, who
was the ugly duckling of an otherwise singularly handsome family,
put her life to a different use. Philanthropy was her hobby,
(04:26):
and scarcely a day passed in which she did not
speak at some meeting, preside over some committee, or endeavor
in some way, as she somewhat grand deloquently put it,
to better the lives and emulate the conditions of our
less fortunate fellow creatures. In appearance, she was a short,
(04:48):
fair woman of about forty five years of age, with
a not unhandsome face, the effect of which, however, was
completely spoilt by too large and protruding teeth. My dear
Lady Caroline, this is indeed kind of you, said Carne
as he shook hands with her. And also of you,
(05:12):
Lord Amberley, to what happy circumstance may I attribute the
pleasure of this visit? I fear it is dreadfully early
for us to come to see you, replied her ladyship.
But Lord Amberley assured me that it that, as our
business is so pressing, you would forgive us pray, do
(05:34):
not apologize, returned Karn. It gives me the greatest possible
pleasure to see you. As for the hour, I am
ashamed to confess that, while the morning is no longer young,
I have only just finished breakfast. But won't you sit down?
They seated themselves once more, and when they had done so,
(05:57):
Lady Caroline unfolded her tale. As you are perhaps aware,
my friends say that I never come to see them
unless it is to attempt to extort money from them
for some charitable purpose. She said, No, you need not
prepare to button up your pockets, mister Caran. I'm not
(06:18):
going to ask you for anything to day. What I
do want, however, is to endeavor to persuade you to
help us in a movement we are inaugurating to raise
money with which to relieve the great distress in the
Canary Islands brought about by the late disastrous earthquake. My cousin,
(06:40):
the Marquis of Lavistock, has kindly promised to act as president.
And although we started it but yesterday, ten thousand pounds
have already been subscribed. As you are aware, however, if
we are to attract public attention and support, the fund's
(07:01):
raised must be representative of all classes. Our intention therefore
is to hold a drawing room meeting at my house
tomorrow afternoon, when a number of the most prominent people
of the day will be invited to give us their
views on the subject. I feel sure if you will
(07:23):
only consent to throw in your lot with us, and
to assist in carrying out what we have in view,
we shall be able to raise a sum of at
least one hundred thousand pounds for the benefit of the sufferers.
Our kind friend here, Lord Amberley, has promised to act
(07:44):
as secretary, and his efforts will be invaluable to us.
Royalty has signified its gracious approval, and it is expected
will head the list with a handsome donation. Every class
will be appealed to. Ministers of religion of all known
denominations will be invited to co operate. And if you
(08:07):
will only consent to allow your name to appear upon
the personnel of the committee, and will allow us to
advertise your name as a speaker at tomorrow's meeting, I
feel sure there is nothing we shall not be able
to achieve. I shall be delighted to help you in
(08:28):
any way I can, Carne replied. If my name is
likely to be any assistance to you, I beg you
will make use of it. In the meantime, if you
will permit me, I will forward you a check for
one thousand pounds, being my contribution to the fund. You
have so charitably started. Her ladyship beamed with delight, and
(08:52):
even Lord Amberley's smiled gracious approval. You are generous, indeed,
said Lady Caroline. I only wish others would imitate your example.
She did not say that wealthy though her she herself was,
she had only contributed ten pounds to the fund. It
(09:13):
is well known that while she inaugurated large works of charity,
she seldom contributed very largely to them. As a wit
once remarked, philanthropy was her virtue and meanness was her vice. Egad,
said Amberley. If you are going to open up your
purse strings like that, Carn, I shall feel called upon
(09:37):
to do the same. Then let me have the pleasure
of booking both amounts at once, cried her Ladyship, at
the same time whipping out her note book and pencil
with flattering alacrity. I shall be delighted, said Karn, with
a smile of eagerness, I also replied Amberley, and in
(09:59):
a trice, both amounts were written down. Having gained her point,
her Ladyship rose to say good bye. Lord Amberley immediately
imitated her example. You will not forget, will you, mister Carne,
said she I am to have the pleasure of seeing
you at my house tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock. We
(10:23):
shall look forward to hearing your speech, and I need
not remind you that every word you utter will be
listened to with the closest attention. At three tomorrow afternoon,
said carn, I shall be at your house. You need
not fear that I shall forget. And now since you
(10:45):
think you must be going, good bye, and many thanks
to you for asking me. He escorted them to the
carriage which was waiting outside, and when he had watched
it drive away, returned to a stone to write the
check he had promised her. Having done so, he did
not rise from his chair, but continued to sit at
(11:08):
his writing table, biting the feather of his quill pen
and staring at the blotting pad before him. A great
and glorious notion had suddenly come into his head, and
the majesty of it was, for the moment holding him spellbound.
If only it could be worked, he said to himself,
(11:31):
what a glorious coop it would be. The question for
my consideration is can it be done to invite the
people of England to subscribe its pounds shillings and pence
for my benefit would be a glorious notion, and just
the sort of thing I should enjoy. Besides which I
(11:53):
have to remember that I am a thousand pounds to
the bad already, and that must come back from somewhere.
For the present, however, I'll put the matter aside. After
the meeting tomorrow I shall have something tangible to go upon,
and then, if I still feel in the same mind,
(12:14):
it will be strange if I can't find some way
of doing what I want. In the meantime, I shall
have to think out my speech upon that will depend
a good deal of my success. It is a strange
world in which it is ordained that so much should
depend upon so little. At five minutes to three o'clock
(12:39):
on the following afternoon, Simon Karne might have been observed
that I believe is the correct expression. Strolling across from
Aspley House to Glouchester Place, reaching Lord Walter Shall's residence,
he discovered a long row of carriages lining the pavement
(13:01):
and settling down their occupants at his lordship's door. Carn
followed the stream into the house and was carried by
it up the stairs towards the large drawing room where
the meeting was to be held. Already about a hundred
persons were present, and it was evident that if they
(13:22):
continued to arrive at the same rate, it would not
be long before the room would be filled to overflowing.
Seeing Lady Caroline bidding her friends welcome near the door,
Karn hastened to shake hands with her. It is so
very good of you to come, she said, as she
took his hand. Remember, we are looking to you for
(13:46):
a rousing speech this afternoon. We want one that will
inflame all England and touch the heart strings of every
man and woman in the land. To touch their purse
strings would perhaps be more to the point, said Karn,
with one of his quiet smiles. Let us hope we
(14:08):
shall touch them too, she replied, Now, would you mind
going to the dais at the other end of the room.
You will find Lord Laverstock there talking to my husband,
I think. Karn bowed and went forward as he had
been directed. So soon as it was known that the
celebrities had arrived, the meeting was declared open and the
(14:32):
speech making commenced. Clever as some of them were, it
could not be doubted that Carne's address was the event
of the afternoon. He was a born speaker, and what more,
despite the short notice he had received, he made himself
thoroughly conversant with his subject. His handsome face was on
(14:55):
fire with excitement, and his sonorous voice rang through the
large room like a trumpet call. When he sat down,
it was amidst a burst of applause. Lord Laverstok leant
forward and shook hands with him. Your speech will be
read all over England tomorrow morning, he said. It should
(15:18):
make a difference of thousands of pounds to the fund.
I congratulate you most heartily upon it. Simon Carne felt
that if it was really going to make that difference,
he might, in the light of future events, heartily congratulate himself. He, however,
accepted the praise showered upon him with becoming modesty, and
(15:42):
during the next speaker's exhibition of halting elocution, amused himself
watching the faces before him and speculating as to what
they would say when the surprise he was going to
spring upon them came known. Half an hour later, when
the committee had been elected and the meeting had broken up,
(16:06):
he bade his friends good bye and set off on
his return home. That evening, he was dining at home,
intending to call at his club afterwards, and to drop
in at a reception and two dances between ten and midnight.
After dinner, however, he changed his mind, and, having instructed
(16:29):
Ramgaufer to deny him all callers and countermanding his order
for a carriage, went to his study, where he locked
himself in and sat down to smoke and think. He
had set himself a puzzle which would have taxed the
brain of that arc schemer Macavelli himself. He was, not, however,
(16:55):
going to be beaten by it. There must be some
way he told himself, in which the fraud could be worked,
and if there was, he was going to find it.
Numberless were the plans he formed, only to discover a
few moments later that some little difficulty rendered each impracticable. Suddenly,
(17:18):
throwing down the pencil with which he had been writing,
he sprang to his feet and began eagerly to pace
the room. It was evident from the expression upon his
face that he had touched upon a train of thought
that was at last likely to prove productive. Reaching the
(17:40):
fireplace for about the thirtieth time, he paused and gazed
into the fireless grate. After standing there for a few moments,
he turned and, with his hands in his pockets, said
solemnly to himself, Yes, I think it can be done.
Erever the train of thought may have been that led
(18:03):
him to make this declaration, it was plain that it
afforded him no small amount of satisfaction. He did not, however,
commit himself at once to a decision, but continued to
think over the scheme he had hit upon until he
had completely mastered it. It was nearly midnight before he
(18:27):
was thoroughly satisfied. Then he followed his invariable practice on
such occasions and rang for the imitable beltin. When he
had admitted him to the room, he bade him close
and lock the door behind him. By the time this
had been done, he had lit a fresh cigar and
(18:50):
had once more taken up his position on the hearth rug.
I sent for you to say that I have just
made up my mind to try a little scheme compared
with which all I have done so far will sink
into insignificance. What is it, sir, asked Belton. I will
(19:12):
tell you, but you must not look so terrified. Put
in a few words, it is neither more nor less
than to attempt to divert the enormous sums of money
which the prodiggal English public is taking out of its
pocket in order to assist the people of the Canary
(19:33):
Islands who have lost so severely by their recent terrible
earthquake into my own. Belton's face expressed his astonishment. But
my dear sir, he said, that's a fund of which
the Marquis of Laverstock is president, and of whose committee
(19:54):
you are one of the principal members. Exactly, answered Karne.
It is to those two happy circumstances I shall later
on attribute the success I now mean to attain. Lord
Laverstock is merely a pompous old nobleman whose hobby is philanthropy.
(20:16):
This lesson will do him good. It will be strange
if before I am a week older, I cannot twist
him round my finger. Now for my instructions. In the
first place, you must find me a moderate sized house,
fit for an elderly lady, and situated in a fairly
(20:37):
fashionable quarter, say South Kensington. Furnish it on the higher
system from one of the big firms, and engage three
servants who can be relied upon to do their work, and,
what is more important, who can hold their tongues. Next,
find me an old lady to impersonate the mistress of
(21:00):
the house. She must be very frail and delicate looking,
and you will arrange with some livery stable people in
the neighborhood to supply her with a carriage in which
she will go for an airing every afternoon, in order
that the neighborhood may become familiar with her personality. Both
(21:21):
she and the servants must be made to thoroughly understand
that their only chance of obtaining anything from me depends
upon their carrying out my instructions to the letter. Also,
while they are in the house, they must keep themselves
to themselves. My identity, of course, must not transpire as
(21:45):
soon as I give the signal. The old lady must
keep to the house, and the neighborhood must be allowed
to understand that she is seriously ill. The day following
she will be worse, and the next she will be dead.
You will then make arrangements for a funeral, order a coffin,
(22:05):
and arrange for the conveyance of the body to Southampton.
En route for the Channel Islands, where she is to
be buried at Southampton. A yacht which I will arrange
for myself, will be in readiness to carry us out
to see. Do you think you understand perfectly, Sir Bolton replied,
(22:28):
but I wish I could persuade you to give up
the attempt. You will excuse my saying so, sir, I hope,
But it does seem to me a pity when you
have done so much to risk losing it all over
such a dangerous bit of business as this. It surely
(22:49):
can't succeed, Sir Belton said, Carne, very seriously. You strike
me as being in a strange humor to night, and
I can not say that I like it. Were it
not that I have the most implicit confidence in you,
I should begin to think you were turning honest. In
(23:11):
that case our connection would be likely to be a
very short one. I hope, Sir Belton answered, in alarm,
that you still believe I am as devoted as ever
to your interests. I do believe it, Carne replied. Let
the manner in which you carry out the various instructions
(23:34):
I have just given you confirm me in that belief.
This is Wednesday. I shall expect you to come to
me on Saturday with a report that the house has
been taken and furnished, and that the servants are installed,
and the delicate old lady in residence. You may rely
(23:55):
upon my doing my best, Sir. I feel sure of that,
said Karn, And now that all is arranged, I think
I will go to bed. A week later, a committee
of the Canary Island Relief Fund was able to announce
to the world, through the calms of the Daily Press,
(24:16):
that the generous public of England has subscribed no less
a sum than one hundred thousand pounds for the relief
of the sufferers by the late earthquake. The same day
Karn attended a committee meeting in Gloucester Place. A proposition
advanced by Lady Waltershall and second by Simon Karn, was
(24:39):
carried unanimously. It was to the effect that in a
week's time such members of the Relief Committee as could
get away, should start for the scene of the calamity
in the Chairman's yacht, which had been placed at their disposal,
taking with them for distribution among the imper first inhabitants
(25:01):
of the islands. The sum already subscribed, namely one hundred
thousand pounds in English gold. They would then be able,
with the assistance of the English Council, to personally superintend
the distribution of their money, and also be in a
(25:21):
position to report to the subscribers when they returned to England,
the manner in which the money had been utilized. In
that case, said Carne, who had not only seconded the
motion but had put the notion into Lady Waltershaw's head.
(25:42):
It might as be as well if our chairmen would
interview the authorities of the bank and arrange that the
amount in question shall be packed ready for delivery to
the messengers he may select to call for it before
the date in question. I will make it my business
to call the bank tomorrow morning, replied the Chairman. And
(26:05):
perhaps you, mister Carn, would have no objection to accompany me,
if it will facilitate the business of this committee. I
shall be only too pleased to do so, said Karn,
And so it was settled on a Tuesday afternoon, six
days later, and two days before the date upon which
(26:27):
it had been arranged that the committee should sail. The
Marquis of Laverstock received a letter Lady Caroline Walter Shaw,
the Earl of Amberley, and Simon Karn were with him
when he opened it. He read it through and then
read it again, after which he turned to his guests.
(26:48):
This is really a very extraordinary communication, he said, and
it affects the matter we have most at heart. Perhaps
I had better read it to you. One hundred fifty
four Great Chesterston Street, Tuesday Evening, to the most noble
(27:08):
the Marquis of Laverstock k G. Berkeley Square. My Lord,
as one who has been permitted to enjoy a long
and peaceful life in a country where such visitations are
happily unknown, I take the liberty of writing to your
lordship to say how very much I should like to
(27:30):
subscribe to the fund so nobly started by you and
your friends to assist the poor people who have lost
so much by the earthquake in the Canary Islands. Being
a lonely old woman blessed by the providence with some
small share of worldly wealth, I feel it my duty
(27:51):
to make some small sacrifice to help others who have
not been so blessed. Unfortunately, I do not enjoy very
good health, but if your Lordship could spare a moment
to call upon me. I would like to thank you,
in the name of womanhood for all you have done,
and in proof of my gratitude, would willingly give you
(28:14):
my check for the sum of ten thousand pounds, to
add to the amount already subscribed. I am permitted by
my doctors to see visitors between the hours of eleven
and twelve in the morning and five and six in
the afternoon. I should then be both honored and pleased
to see your Lordship, Trusting you will concede me this
(28:38):
small favor. I have the honor to be yours, very sincerely,
Janet O'Halleran. There was a momentarily pause after his lordship
had finished reading the letter. What will you do? Inquired
Lady Caroline. It is a noble offering, put in Simon Karne.
(29:00):
I think there cannot be two opinions as to what
is my duty, replied the Chairman. I shall accede to
her request, though why she wants to see me is
more than I can tell. As she hints in the letter,
she wishes to congratulate you personally on what you have done,
continued the Earl of Amberley. And as it will be
(29:24):
the handsomeness donation we have yet received. It will perhaps
be as well to humor her. In that case, I
will do as I say and make it my business
to call there this afternoon between five and six. And
now it is my duty to report to you that
(29:45):
mister Simon Karne and I waited upon the authorities at
the bank this morning and arranged that the sum of
one hundred thousand pounds in gold shall be ready for
our messengers when they call for it, either tomorrow morning
or tomorrow afternoon at latest. It is a large sum
(30:06):
to take with us, said Lady Caroline. I trust it
will not prove a temptation to thieves. You need not
have fear on that score, replied his Lordship. As I
have explained to the manager, my own trusted servants will
effect the removal of the money, accompanied by two private
(30:27):
detectives who will remain on board my yacht until we
weigh anchor we have left nothing to chance to make
the matter doubly sure. I have also arranged that the
money shall not be handled over except to a person
who shall present my check and at that same time
show this signet ring which I now wear upon my finger.
(30:52):
The other members of the Committee express themselves as perfectly
satisfied with this arrangement, and when certain other business have
been transacted, the meeting broke up end of Section eleven.
Recording by Lyndamree Nielsen, Vancouver, BC,
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