He probably felt
within his own bosom that the last judgment of all would depend in
some way on terrestrial evidence, and was quite sure that it was by
such that a man's conscience should be affected. If Goarly had so
done the deed as to be beyond the possibility of detection, Nickem
could not have brought himself to regard Goarly as a sinner. As it
was he had considerable respect for Goarly;--but might it not be
possible to drop down upon Scrobby? Bearside with his case against
the lord would be nowhere, if Goarly could be got to own that he
had been suborned by Scrobby to put down the poison. Or, if in
default of this, any close communication could be proved between
Goarly and Scrobby,--Scrobby's injury and spirit of revenge being
patent,--then too Bearside would not have much of a case. A jury
would look at that question of damages with a very different eye if
Scrobby's spirit of revenge could be proved at the trial, and also
the poisoning, and also machinations between Scrobby and Goarly.
Nickem was a little red-haired man about forty, who wrote a good
flourishing hand, could endure an immense amount of work, and drink
a large amount of alcohol without being drunk. His nose and face
were all over blotches, and he looked to be dissipated and
disreputable. But, as he often boasted, no one could say that
"black was the white of his eye;"--by which he meant to insinuate
that he had not been detected in anything dishonest and that he was
never too tipsy to do his work.
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