Now this was how old Dick became a cripple.
It was early in winter, and there was a heavy sale on at the rooms, for
the furniture of a noble mansion had been sent up from the country, and
bargain-hunters and Jew brokers were there that day in force,
chaffering, running down the value of the goods they coveted, and
turning the crowded room into a Babel of confusion.
The sale was progressing, and under the superintendence of one Joseph
Brown, the head porter, the lots had been submitted to competition with
ease and facility. Old Dick had as usual been working very hard, but,
not content to show the others his power, he sought to do more.
"You can't take that there chist o' drawers down," said the head porter,
a man most careful in the way in which he looked after the corners and
polish of pieces of furniture, saving them from scratch and chip. So
careful, in fact, was Brown that he had never had time to look after the
polish and corners of her Majesty's English, which he chipped and
scratched most terribly. So "you can't take that there chist o' drawers
down," said Brown, "it's too much for you;" and he meant it kindly,
though his words were rough.
"You wouldn't ha' talked to me like that ten year ago, Joe Brown!"
quavered Dick, turning angrily upon the porter, for he was hurt and
annoyed at being spoken to before the other men.
"I didn't mean to hurt the poor old chap," said Brown at home to his
wife that night, "for I like old Dick, who's as honest and true-hearted
an old chap as ever stepped. All the years we've been together I never
knew Dick do a man an ill turn; while the way he turns out o' Sundays to
take that there granchile of his to a place o' wasshup ought to be a
patten for some on us.
"In course I wouldn't ha' spoke to him in that way ten years ago: for
why? 'cos he could ha' carried the chist o' drawers easily; but 'stead
o' actin' sensible, he was that proud, bless you, that he wriggled
hisself under 'em like a young cuckoo with a hegg, hystes hisself up
slowly by taking hold of the bannisters, and then begins to stagger
downstairs.
"`Now then: lot 'underd and two, waitin' for lot 'underd and two,' they
calls out below. `Comin'--comin'--comin',' pants out Dick; and I see as
it was too much for the poor old chap, who felt touched at being thought
past his work, though the governors only expected him to take down the
light things. So seeing how matters stood, I steps forrard to help him,
when if he didn't seem to shut up all at once like; and that there chist
o' handsome French-polished mahogany drawers, 'underd and two in the
catalogue, went downstairs a deal too fast for its constitution.
"Poor old Dick! he never groaned nor made no fuss when we got him down
to the cab to take him to the 'orsepittle, although his poor old leg was
broke, through his coming down a whole flight arter that there chist o'
handsome French-polished mahogany drawers; but his lips was shaking, and
his face drored as he gets hold of my button and pulls me to him, and
says, says he, `This'll be a sad upset for my Jenny, but don't let 'em
frighten her, Joe Brown, don't please. You're a married man and got
feeling, though I spoke nasty to you just now. Please go and tell her
gently, yourself. O, Joe, I shan't be able to help in many more sales.'
"Poor old chap, how the tears did run down his cheeks as he whispered me
again--
"`Don't say it's much, Joe; tell her it's a bit of a scratch, and she
isn't to fidget about me. Tell her gently, Joe; good bye, Joe; I shall
be over again to-morrow or next day, Joe; and, Joe,' he calls out in his
weak piping way, as the keb begins to move, `Joe,' he says, `just take
my apern and give the lookin'-glass in the big wardrobe a bit of a rub
before it comes down; and don't forget about Jenny.'
"Poor old Dickey: got his 'art in his work, he had; and somehow as he
went off, and I knew as we shouldn't never see him again at work, if we
ever see him at all, my nose wanted blowing to that degree that nothing
couldn't be like it; and it's my belief, Sarah, if I hadn't been roused
up by a call for the next lot, that I should have turned soft; for you
see, says I to myself, I says, suppose as that had been me.
"But he told me to tell Jenny gently, and I did."
------------------------------------------------------------------------