"I think, previous to taking this step, Sir Gordon, I may ask if you and
Mr Dixon are quite satisfied? I believe the books show a state of
prosperity."
"That does us credit, Mr Hallam," said Sir Gordon quietly. "Yes, Mr
Dixon bids me say that he is perfectly satisfied--eh, Mr Trampleasure?"
"Quite, Sir Gordon--more than satisfied," replied Mr Trampleasure, who
was standing with his hands beneath his coat-tails, balancing himself on
toe and heel, and bowing as he spoke with an air that he believed to be
very impressive.
"Then, before we close this little meeting, I suppose it only remains
for me to ask you if you have any questions to ask of the firm, any
demands to make?" Hallam rose from behind the table covered with books
and balance-sheets in the manager's room of the bank, placed his hand in
his breast, and in a quiet, dignified way, replied:
"Questions to ask, Sir Gordon--demands to make? No; only to repeat my
former question. Are you satisfied?"
"_I_ did reply to that," said Sir Gordon, who looked brown and
sunburned, consequent upon six weeks' yachting in the Mediterranean;
"but have you no other question or demand to make previous to your
marriage?"
"Excuse me," said Mr Trampleasure, "excuse me. I want to say one word.
Hem! hem!--I er--I er--"
"What is it, Trampleasure?" said Sir Gordon.
"It is in regard to a question I believe Mr Hallam is about to put to
the firm. I may say that Mrs Trampleasure drew my attention to the
matter, consequent upon a rumour in the town in connection with Mr
Hallam's marriage."
Hallam raised his eyebrows and smiled.
"Have they settled the date?" he said pleasantly.
"No, sir, not that I am aware of; but Mrs Trampleasure has been given
to understand that Mr Hallam, upon his marriage, will wish, and is
about to send in a request for the apartments connected with this bank
that I have always occupied. It would be a great inconvenience to Mrs
Trampleasure with our family--I mean to me--to have to move."
"My dear Sir Gordon," said Hallam, interrupting, "allow me to set Mr
Trampleasure at rest. I have taken the little Manor House, and have
given orders for the furniture."
"There, Trampleasure," said Sir Gordon. "Don't take any notice of
gossips for the future."
"Hem! I will not; but Mr Gemp is so well-informed generally."
"That he is naturally wrong sometimes," said Sir Gordon. "By-the-way,
are they ever going to put that man under the pump? Now, Mr Hallam,
have you anything more to ask?"
"Certainly not, Sir Gordon," replied the manager stiffly. "I understand
your allusion, of course; but I have only to say that I look upon my
engagement here as a commercial piece of business to be strictly adhered
to, and that I know of nothing more degrading to a man than making every
change in his life an excuse for asking an increase of salary."
"And you do not wish to take a holiday trip on the occasion of your
wedding?"
"No, Sir Gordon."
"But the lady?"
"Miss Luttrell knows that she is about to marry a business man, Sir
Gordon, and accepts her fate," said Hallam with a smile.
"Of course you can take a month. I'm sure Trampleasure and Thickens
would manage everything in your absence."
"Excuse me, Sir Gordon, I have no doubt whatever that everything would
run like a repeater-watch in my absence; but, with the responsibility of
manager of this bank, I could not feel comfortable to run away just in
our busiest time. Later on I may take a trip."
"Just as you like, Hallam, just as you like. Then that is all we have
to do?"
"Everything, Sir Gordon. Yes, Mr Thickens, I will come;" for the clerk
had tapped at the door and summoned him into the bank.
"Dig for you, Trampleasure, about the salary, eh?" said Sir Gordon, as
soon as they were alone.
"And in very bad taste, too," said Trampleasure stiffly.
"Ah, well, he's a good manager," said Sir Gordon. "How I hate figures!
They'll be buzzing in my head for a week."
He rose and walked to the glass to begin arranging his cravat and
shirt-collar, buttoning the bottom of his coat, and pulling down his
buff vest, so that it could be well seen. Then adjusting his hat at a
correct gentlemanly angle, and tapping the tassels of his Hessian boots
to make them swing free, he bade Trampleasure good-morning and sauntered
down the street, twirling his cane with all the grace of an old beau.
"I don't like that man," he said to himself, "and I never did; but his
management of the bank is superb. Only one shaky loan this last six
months, and he thinks we shall clear ourselves, if we wait before we
sell. Bah! I'm afraid I'm as great a humbug as the rest of the world.
If he had not won little Millicent, I should have thought him a very
fine fellow, I dare say."
He strolled on towards the doctor's, thinking as he went.
"No, I don't think I should have liked him," he mused. "He's
gentlemanly and polished; but too gentlemanly and polished. It is like
a mask and suit that to my mind do not fit. Then, hang it! how did he
manage to win that girl?"
"Cleverness. That calm air of superiority; that bold deference, and his
good looks. I've seen it all; he has let her go on talking in her
clever way--and she is clever; and then when he has thought she has gone
on long enough, he has checked her with a touch of the tiller, and
thrown all the wind out of her sails, leaving her swinging on the ocean
of conjecture. Just what she would like; made to feel that, clever as
she is, he could be her master when and where he pleased. Yes, that is
it, and I suppose I hate him for it. No, no. It would not have been
right, even if I could have won. I would not be prejudiced against him
more than I can help; but I'm afraid we shall never be any closer than
we are."
That afternoon Mr Hallam of the bank was exceedingly busy; so was James
Thickens, at the counter, now giving, now receiving and cancelling and
booking cheques or greasy notes, some of which were almost too much worn
to be deciphered.
The time went on, and it was the hour for closing the doors. Thickens
had had to go in and out of the manager's room several times, and Hallam
was always busy writing letters. He looked up, and answered questions,
or gave instructions, and then went on again, while each time, when
James Thickens came out, he looked more uneasy. That is to say, to any
one who thoroughly understood James Thickens, he would have looked
uneasy. To a stranger he would only have seemed peculiar, for
involuntarily at such times he had a habit of moving his scalp very
slowly, drawing his hair down over his forehead, while his eyebrows rose
up to meet it. Then, with mechanical regularity, they separated again;
and all the while his eyes were fixed, and seemed to be gazing at
something that was not there.
"You need not wait, Thickens," said Hallam, opening his door at length.
"I want to finish a few letters."
The clerk rose and left the place after his customary walk round with
keys, and the transferring of certain moneys to the safe; and, as soon
as he was gone, Hallam locked his door communicating with the house, and
began to busy himself in the safe, examining docketed securities,
ticking them off, arranging and rearranging, hour after hour.
And during those hours James Thickens seemed to be prosecuting a love
affair, for, instead of going home to his tea and gold-fish, he walked
down the market place for some distance, turned sharp back, knocked at a
door, and was admitted. Then old Gemp, who had been sweeping his narrow
horizon, put on his hat, and walked across to Mrs Pinet, who was as
usual watering her geraniums, and hunting for withered leaves that did
not exist.
"Two weddings, Mrs P.!" he said with a leer.
"Lor', Mr Gemp, what do you mean?" she exclaimed.
"Two weddings, ma'am. Your Mr Hallam first, and Thickens directly
after. No more bachelors at the bank, ma'am."
"Why, you don't mean to say that Mr Thickens--oh, dear me!"
"But I do mean to say it, ma'am. He's dropped in at Miss Heathery's as
coolly as can be; and has hung his hat up behind the door."
"You don't say so!"
"Oh yes, I do. It's her doing. Going there four or five times a week
to cash cheques, and he has grown reckless. Let's wait till he comes
out."
"Perhaps, then," said Mrs Pinet primly, "people may begin saying things
about me."
"There'll be no one to say it," said Gemp innocently. "Let's see how
long he stops. I can't very well from my place."
"I couldn't think of such a thing," said Mrs Pinet, grandly. "Mr
Hallam will be in directly, too. No, Mr Gemp, I'm no watcher of my
neighbours' affairs;" and she went indoors.
"Very well, madam. _Ve-ry_ well," said Gemp. "We shall see;" and he
walked back home to stand in his doorway for three hours before he saw
Thickens come from where he had ensconced himself behind Miss Heathery's
curtain with his eyes fixed upon the bank.
At the end of those three hours Mr Hallam passed, looking very
thoughtful, and five minutes later James Thickens went home to his
gold-fish and tea.
"Took care Hallam didn't see him," chuckled Gemp, rubbing his hands.
"Oh, the artfulness of these people! Thinks he has as good a right to
marry as Hallam himself. Well, why not? Make him more staid and solid,
better able to take care of the deeds and securities, and pounds,
shillings, and pence, and--hullo!--hello!--hello! What's the meaning of
this!"
_This_ was the appearance of a couple coming from the direction of the
doctor's house, and the couple were Miss Heathery, who had been spending
a few hours with Millicent--in other words, seeing her preparations for
the wedding--and Sir Gordon Bourne, who was going in her direction and
walked home with her.
"Why, Thickens didn't see her after all!"
No: James Thickens had not seen her, and Miss Heathery had not seen
James Thickens.
"Who?" she cried, as soon as Sir Gordon had ceremoniously bidden her
"Good-night," raising his curly brimmed hat, and putting it back.
"Mr Thickens, ma'am," cried the little maid eagerly; "and when I told
him you was out, he said, might he wait, and I showed him in the
parlour."
"And he's there now?" whispered Miss Heathery, who began tremblingly to
take off the very old pair of gloves she kept for evening wear, the
others being safe in her reticule.
"No, ma'am, please he has been gone these ten minutes."
"But what did he say?" cried Miss Heathery querulously.
"Said he wanted to see you particular, ma'am."
"Oh dear me; oh dear me!" sighed Miss Heathery. "Was ever anything so
unfortunate? How could I tell that he would come when I was out?"