THE WISDOM OF POPPINS.
George Robinson again walked upon roses, and for a while felt that
he had accomplished bliss. What has the world to offer equal to the
joy of gratified love? What triumph is there so triumphant as that
achieved by valour over beauty?
Take the goods the gods provide you.
The lovely Thais sits beside you.
Was not that the happiest moment in Alexander's life. Was it not
the climax of all his glories, and the sweetest drop which Fortune
poured into his cup? George Robinson now felt himself to be a second
Alexander. Beside him the lovely Thais was seated evening after
evening; and he, with no measured stint, took the goods the gods
provided. He would think of the night of that supper in Smithfield,
when the big Brisket sat next to his love, half hidden by her
spreading flounces, and would remember how, in his spleen, he had
likened his rival to an ox prepared for the sacrifice with garlands.
"Poor ignorant beast of the field!" he had said, apostrophizing the
unconscious Brisket, "how little knowest thou how ill those flowers
become thee, or for what purpose thou art thus caressed! They will
take from thee thy hide, thy fatness, all that thou hast, and divide
thy carcase among them. And yet thou thinkest thyself happy! Poor
foolish beast of the field!" Now that ox had escaped from the toils,
and a stag of the forest had been caught by his antlers, and was
bound for the altar. He knew all this, and yet he walked upon roses
and was happy. "Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof," he said
to himself. "The lovely Thais sits beside me. Shall I not take the
goods the gods provide me?"
The lovely Thais sat beside him evening after evening for nearly
two months, up in Mr. Brown's parlour, but as yet nothing had
been decided as to the day of their marriage. Sometimes Mr. and
Mrs. Poppins would be there smiling, happy, and confidential; and
sometimes Mr. and Mrs. Jones careworn, greedy, and suspicious. On
those latter evenings the hours would all be spent in discussing the
profits of the shop and the fair division of the spoils. On this
subject Mrs. Jones would be very bitter, and even the lovely Thais
would have an opinion of her own which seemed to be anything but
agreeable to her father.
"Maryanne," her lover said to her one evening, when words had been
rather high among them, "if you want your days to be long in the
land, you must honour your father and mother."
"I don't want my days to be long, if we're never to come to an
understanding," she answered. "And I've got no mother, as you know
well, or you wouldn't treat me so."
"You must understand, father," said Sarah Jane, "that things shan't
go on like this. Jones shall have his rights, though he don't
seem half man enough to stand up for them. What's the meaning of
partnership, if nobody's to know where the money goes to?"
"I've worked like a horse," said Jones. "I'm never out of that place
from morning to night,--not so much as to get a pint of beer. And, as
far as I can see, I was better off when I was at Scrimble and Grutts.
I did get my salary regular."
Mr. Brown was at this time in tears, and as he wept he lifted up
hands. "My children, my children!" said he.
"That's all very well, father," said Maryanne. "But whimpering won't
keep anybody's pot a-boiling. I'm sick of this sort of thing, and,
to tell the truth, I think it quite time to see some sort of a house
over my head."
"Would that I could seat you in marble halls!" said George Robinson.
"Oh, bother!" said Maryanne. "That sort of a thing is very good
in a play, but business should be business." It must always be
acknowledged, in favour of Mr. Brown's youngest daughter, that her
views were practical, and not over-strained by romance.
During these two or three months a considerable intimacy sprang up
between Mr. Poppins and George Robinson. It was not that there was
any similarity in their characters, for in most respects they were
essentially unlike each other. But, perhaps, this very difference led
to their friendship. How often may it be observed in the fields that
a high-bred, quick-paced horse will choose some lowly donkey for his
close companionship, although other horses of equal birth and speed
be in the same pasture! Poppins was a young man of an easy nature and
soft temper, who was content to let things pass by him unquestioned,
so long as they passed quietly. Live and let live, were words that
were often on his lips;--by which he intended to signify that he
would overlook the peccadilloes of other people, as long as other
people overlooked his own. When the lady who became afterwards Mrs.
Poppins had once called him a rascal, he had not with loud voice
asserted the injustice of the appellation, but had satisfied himself
with explaining to her that, even were it so, he was still fit for
her society. He possessed a practical philosophy of his own, by
which he was able to steer his course in life. He was not, perhaps,
prepared to give much to others, but neither did he expect that
much should be given to him. There was no ardent generosity in his
temperament; but then, also, there was no malice or grasping avarice.
If in one respect he differed much from our Mr. Robinson, so also
in another respect did he differ equally from our Mr. Jones. He
was at this time a counting-house clerk in a large wharfinger's
establishment, and had married on a salary of eighty pounds a year.
"I tell you what it is, Robinson," said he, about this time: "I don't
understand this business of yours."
"No," said Robinson; "perhaps not. A business like ours is not easily
understood."
"You don't seem to me to divide any profits."
"In an affair of such magnitude the profits cannot be adjusted every
day, nor yet every month."
"But a man wants his bread and cheese every day. Now, there's old
Brown. He's a deal sharper than I took him for."
"Mr. Brown, for a commercial man of the old school, possesses
considerable intelligence," said Robinson. Throughout all these
memoirs, it may be observed that Mr. Robinson always speaks with
respect of Mr. Brown.
"Very considerable indeed," said Poppins. "He seems to me to nobble
everything. Perhaps that was the old school. The young school ain't
so very different in that respect;--only, perhaps, there isn't so
much for them to nobble."
"A regular division of our profits has been arranged for in our deed
of partnership," said Robinson.
"That's uncommon nice, and very judicious," said Poppins.
"It was thought to be so by our law advisers," said Robinson.
"But yet, you see, old Brown nobbles the money. Now, if ever I goes
into partnership, I shall bargain to have the till for my share. You
never get near the till, do you?"
"I attend to quite another branch of the business," said Robinson.
"Then you're wrong. There's no branch of the business equal to the
ready money branch. Old Brown has lots of ready money always by him
now-a-days."
It certainly was the case that the cash received day by day over the
counter was taken by Mr. Brown from the drawers and deposited by him
in the safe. The payments into the bank were made three times a week,
and the checks were all drawn by Mr. Brown. None of these had ever
been drawn except on behalf of the business; but then the payments
into the bank had by no means tallied with the cash taken; and
latterly,--for the last month or so,--the statements of the daily
cash taken had been very promiscuous. Some payments had, of course,
been made both to Jones and Robinson for their own expenses, but the
payments made by Mr. Brown to himself had probably greatly exceeded
these. He had a vague idea that he was supreme in money matters,
because he had introduced "capital" into the firm. George Robinson
had found it absolutely impossible to join himself in any league with
Jones, so that hitherto Mr. Brown had been able to carry out his own
theory. The motto, _Divide et impera_, was probably unknown to Mr.
Brown in those words, but he had undoubtedly been acting on the
wisdom which is conveyed in that doctrine.
Jones and his wife were preparing themselves for war, and it was
plain to see that a storm of battle would soon be raging. Robinson
also was fully alive to the perils of his position, and anxious as he
was to remain on good terms with Mr. Brown, was aware that it would
be necessary for him to come to some understanding. In his difficulty
he had dropped some hints to his friend Poppins, not exactly
explaining the source of his embarrassment, but saying enough to make
that gentleman understand the way in which the firm was going on.
"I suppose you're in earnest about that girl," said Poppins. Poppins
had an offhand, irreverent way of speaking, especially on subjects
which from their nature demanded delicacy, that was frequently
shocking to Robinson.
"If you mean Miss Brown," said Robinson, in a tone of voice that was
intended to convey a rebuke, "I certainly am in earnest. My intention
is that she shall become Mrs. Robinson."
"But when?"
"As soon as prudence will permit and the lady will consent. Miss
Brown has never been used to hardship. For myself, I should little
care what privations I might be called on to bear, but I could hardly
endure to see her in want."
"My advice to you is this. If you mean to marry her, do it at once.
If you and she together can't manage the old man, you can't be worth
your salt. If you can do that, then you can throw Jones overboard."
"I am not in the least afraid of Jones."
"Perhaps not; but still you'd better mind your P's and Q's. It seems
to me that you and he and the young women are at sixes and sevens,
and that's the reason why old Brown is able to nobble the money."
"I certainly should be happier," said Robinson, "if I were married,
and things were settled."
"As to marriage," said Poppins, "my opinion is this; if a man has to
do it, he might as well do it at once. They're always pecking at you;
and a fellow feels that if he's in for it, what's the good of his
fighting it out?"
"I should never marry except for love," said Robinson.
"Nor I neither," said Poppins. "That is, I couldn't bring myself to
put up with a hideous old hag, because she'd money. I should always
be wanting to throttle her. But as long as they're young, and soft,
and fresh, one can always love 'em;--at least I can."
"I never loved but one," said Robinson.
"There was a good many of them used to be pretty much the same to me.
They was all very well; but as to breaking my heart about them,--why,
it's a thing that I never understood."
"Do you know, Poppins, what I did twice,--ay, thrice,--in those dark
days?"
"What; when Brisket was after her?"
"Yes; when she used to say that she loved another. Thrice did I
go down to the river bank, intending to terminate this wretched
existence."
"Did you now?"
"I swear to you that I did. But Providence, who foresaw the happiness
that is in store for me, withheld me from the leap."
"Polly once took up with a sergeant, and I can't say I liked it."
"And what did you do?"
"I got uncommon drunk, and then I knocked the daylight out of him.
We've been the best of friends ever since. But about marrying;--if
a man is to do it, he'd better do it. It depends a good deal on the
young woman, of course, and whether she's comfortable in her mind.
Some women ain't comfortable, and then there's the devil to pay. You
don't get enough to eat, and nothing to drink; and if ever you leave
your pipe out of your pocket, she smashes it. I've know'd 'em of that
sort, and a man had better have the rheumatism constant."
"I don't think Maryanne is like that."
"Well; I can't say. Polly isn't. She's not over good, by no means,
and would a deal sooner sit in a arm-chair and have her victuals and
beer brought to her, than she'd break her back by working too hard.
She'd like to be always a-junketing, and that's what she's best
for,--as is the case with many of 'em."
"I've seen her as sportive as a young fawn at the Hall of Harmony."
"But she ain't a young fawn any longer; and as for harmony, it's my
idea that the less of harmony a young woman has the better. It makes
'em give themselves airs, and think as how their ten fingers were
made to put into yellow gloves, and that a young man hasn't nothing
to do but to stand treat, and whirl 'em about till he ain't able
to stand. A game's all very well, but bread and cheese is a deal
better."
"I love to see beauty enjoying itself gracefully. My idea of a woman
is incompatible with the hard work of the world. I would fain do that
myself, so that she should ever be lovely."
"But she won't be lovely a bit the more. She'll grow old all the
same, and take to drink very like. When she's got a red nose and a
pimply face, and a sharp tongue, you'd be glad enough to see her at
the wash-tub then. I remember an old song as my father used to sing,
but my mother couldn't endure to hear it.
Woman takes delight in abundance of pleasure,
But a man's life is to labour and toil.
That's about the truth of it, and that's what comes of your Halls of
Harmony."
"You would like woman to be a household drudge."
"So I would,--only drudge don't sound well. Call her a ministering
angel instead, and it comes to the same thing. They both of 'em
means much of a muchness;--getting up your linen decent, and seeing
that you have a bit of something hot when you come home late. Well,
good-night, old fellow. I shall have my hair combed if I stay much
longer. Take my advice, and as you mean to do it, do it at once. And
don't let the old 'un nobble all the money. Live and let live. That's
fair play all over." And so Mr. Poppins took his leave.
Had anybody suggested to George Robinson that he should go to Poppins
for advice as to his course of life, George Robinson would have
scorned the suggestion. He knew very well the great difference
between him and his humble friend, both as regarded worldly position
and intellectual attainments. But, nevertheless, there was a strain
of wisdom in Poppins' remarks which, though it appertained wholly to
matters of low import, he did not disdain to use. It was true that
Maryanne Brown still frequented the Hall of Harmony, and went there
quite as often without her betrothed as with him. It was true that
Mr. Brown had adopted a habit of using the money of the firm, without
rendering a fair account of the purpose to which he applied it.
The Hall of Harmony might not be the best preparation for domestic
duties, nor Mr. Brown's method of applying the funds the best
specific for commercial success. He would look to both these things,
and see that some reform were made. Indeed, he would reform them both
entirely by insisting on a division of the profits, and by taking
Maryanne to his own bosom. Great ideas filled his mind. If any undue
opposition were made to his wishes when expressed, he would leave
the firm, break up the business, and carry his now well-known genius
for commercial enterprise to some other concern in which he might be
treated with a juster appreciation of his merits.
"Not that I will ever leave thee, Maryanne," he said to himself, as
he resolved these things in his mind.