It wasn't much of a letter, but it was better than nothing, and I was
thankful for it. I put it in my pocket, and gave up all thought of
Gravesend for the present. Evidently Torrence had found something to
occupy him, and I didn't believe he was a man to work long for nothing,
but felt provoked that he had not told me what it was. True, I had
never written to him, which he had told me to do in Wetherbee's care,
should there be anything to write about; but as there wasn't I felt
justified in my silence. However, I should now see him soon, and
comforted myself with the thought that all was well.
During the ensuing week, I answered several advertisements, in the hope
of finding employment, for despite the satisfaction felt in my ability
to economize, there were moments when the reflection that I was making
absolutely nothing would come upon me with such force, that I grew
despondent, and would gladly have welcomed anything offering even the
smallest return. But every effort to find work was unavailing;
evidently London was overcrowded.
Another week passed without Torrence, and when the following Sunday came
and went without bringing him, I became not only impatient but provoked.
Why could he not run up to see me? It certainly seemed strange. Had he
not been so emphatic in requesting me to let him alone, I should have
gone to Gravesend long before. But here was I scarcely daring to leave
the house, fearing that he would come and go in my absence.
A few days after this an incident occurred which placed me in a most
unfortunate predicament. My landlady came to me with tears in her eyes,
saying she would be dispossessed immediately if unable to raise ten
pounds. She assured me that if I would advance her a part of the money
she would--but why go into details--I was swindled out of much more than
I could afford to lose; I had lost a friend, and injured my chances of
success, and not only was the landlady dispossessed, but all her lodgers
as well. I was obliged at once to find new quarters, and with greatly
reduced means. Things now looked very squally, and I firmly believed
the poorhouse was in the next block, and that I might stumble upon it
any day, without warning. I wrote at once to Torrence to tell him of
the change in my situation and circumstances, and urging him to come
immediately for a consultation. By return mail, I got the following
answer:
"20 NARROW LANE, GRAVESEND.
"DEAR GURT: Sorry to hear of your bad luck, but don't fret about a
trifle. A handful of gold more or less isn't worth a thought. A begger
can pick it up on London Bridge without being much the better for it,
and as I told you before, a day or two sooner or later at his majesty's
hothouse won't count much in eternity. I shall be with you in a day or
two, and hunt you up in your new quarters. Now be thankful you got off
so cheap, and don't worry. I have been awfully busy.
"Hastily Yours, T."
My brother always took things easily, but in this letter he had quite
eclipsed himself. I could not doubt that he had found some employment.
Again I had been obliged to pay in advance for my new lodgings, and my
stock of cash had dwindled alarmingly. If Torrence did not come soon, I
should be arrested as a vagrant.
About three days after this, just as I was about to start for Gravesend,
having seen nothing of my brother since his letter, a hansom was driven
to the door and Torrence alighted.
"Well, old boy!" he said as cheery as possible; "glad to find you at
last. But what made you move to such a place as this?"
He looked with disfavor upon the dirty, sad-visaged house I had chosen
for a residence. I explained everything as we went up the steps, even
telling him to a penny the amount of money I had left. Instead of being
dismayed, he only laughed, and turning to the cabby, tossed him his
fare, with a liberal surplus, and then we went on into the house. My
brother's extravagance had always surprised me, but in our present
circumstances, his indifference to money seemed unpardonable.
Torrence looked around my little room with disgust.
"I don't like this place," he said. "We must move out of it."
"When?" I asked in amazement.
"Now!" he answered.
"It's the cheapest I could find."
"I should think so!" he replied.
"But even if you are making a little money, wouldn't it be unwise to
spend it? Remember I am doing nothing."
Torrence smiled and said:
"Now, Gurt, don't undertake to lecture me, but order a four wheeler
instead--perhaps we had better say a couple--for I want to carry all our
traps at once, before they become too strongly impregnated with these
quarters, and-- Do you owe anything?"
I explained that I had already paid in advance, that we had lost money
once in that way, and that I hoped he would not consent to a further
frittering of our funds; but Torrence was determined; and in less than
an hour we found ourselves seated in a comfortable cab, with our luggage
on top. As the driver was about to close the door, he stood for a
moment to receive the order, I heard my brother say, quite distinctly;
"_Hotel Mustapha!_"
*IV.*
Now, the Mustapha is among the very swellest hotels of London; indeed I
doubt if there is any place of public entertainment in the whole of
Europe, which is more magnificent, or whose rates are more exorbitant;
and when I found myself standing in one of its superb corridors, I
naturally wondered why we had come.
In a few moments we were shown an apartment consisting of three large
communicating rooms; two bed-chambers with a _salon_ between and all
furnished palatially.
"Do you think it will do?" inquired Torrence, looking around with a
critical air of indifference.
"For what?" I inquired.
"For us."
"The devil!" I exclaimed.
"No, not for the devil but for you and me."
I looked at him in dumb amazement, and then without another word, my
brother dismissed the attendant, saying that he thought the rooms would
answer the purpose, and ordered our luggage sent up immediately. Was
the fellow losing his head? I feared he had already lost it.
When left alone, we stood for a moment taking in the grandeur that
surrounded us, from the gorgeous frescoes on the ceiling, to the
sumptuous carpets beneath our feet; and then unable to contain myself, I
asked Torrence if he were really going mad. The earnestness of my
manner, and the dead serious look upon my face, made him laugh until he
rolled over upon one of the Turkish divans.
"Yes! can't you see it?" he cried, "why don't you send for a doctor?
But no, you couldn't afford the expense, find this is better than any
asylum I'm sure. Don't fret, old boy; if I am mad there's a method in
it, and a devilish good one too. Now you make yourself at ease, for
your brother's madness will never hurt you. But it is rather neat,
isn't it?" he added, getting up and looking around the room. "You know
I searched all over London before I could find apartments to suit me
exactly; and I'm glad you admire my taste!"
"Well!" I answered, drawing a long breath, "you certainly must be making
a fortune, and rapidly, too; but all the same I don't approve of your
extravagance. But tell me, have you paid for all this? and how much is
it to cost us?"
"_Us_! I admire _that_, when you are my guest. Why it is to cost you
nothing, of course! But wait here a few minutes, as it seems to worry
you, I will satisfy your mind on the money question. I am going to the
office, and will be back immediately."
While he was gone I interested myself in a further inspection of the
rooms. The more thoroughly I went into their equipment, the more amazed
I became at the lavish disregard for money displayed upon every hand.
The beds were regal; the chairs and other furniture of the most costly
type imaginable, and even the walls were adorned with paintings, which I
saw at once were of a very high order of merit. The bathrooms, of which
there were two, were on a scale of princely magnificence, and everywhere
were mirrors, bronzes, and decorations which appeared to me quite too
costly for a public house; indeed there could be few palaces more
splendid.
Presently I heard Torrence returning, and as he entered the room he held
a paper toward me.
"There now read this, and make yourself easy!" he cried.
It was a receipt in full for the rent of the rooms for two entire months
in advance, three hundred pounds.
"Well!" I exclaimed, looking first at the paper, then at my brother,
"wherever you got this money, I can't guess, but I will say, that
although my fears for the immediate future are relieved, I consider it a
wicked waste for people in our circumstances to throw away their means
as you have done."