"I do not want you to tell me what Mr Tooke wrote on that paper that he
burned. I only want to know whether he asked you to choose so as to
indulge me."
"You! O no! There was not a word about you."
"O! Very well!" replied Hugh, not sure whether he was pleased or not.
The next morning was so fine that there was no difficulty about Hugh's
walking the short distance to the widow Murray's; and there, for three
mornings, did the boys work diligently, till the room was papered, and
two cupboards into the bargain. Holt liked it very well, except for two
things:--that Hugh was sure he could have done some difficult corners
better than Holt had done them, if he could but have stood upon the
steps; and that widow Murray did so persist in thanking him, that he had
to tell her several times over that she was not obliged to him at all,
because he was to be paid for the job.
Mr Tooke came to see the work when it was done, and returned to Mr
Shaw's with the boys, in order to pay Holt his half-crown immediately,
and yet so that the widow should not see. Hugh's eye followed Mr
Tooke's hand as it went a second time into his pocket; and he was
conscious of some sort of hope that he might be paid something too.
When no more silver came forth, he felt aware that he ought not to have
dreamed of any reward for the help he had freely offered to his
companion: and he asked himself whether his schoolfellows were
altogether wrong in thinking him too fond of money; and whether he was
altogether right in having said that it was justice that he cared for,
and not money, when he had pressed his debtor hard. However this might
be, he was very glad to receive his sixpence from Holt. As he put it in
his inner pocket, he observed that this would be all the money he should
have in the world when he should have spent his five shillings in
fairings for home.
Holt made no answer. He had nothing to spend in the fair; still less,
anything left over. But he remembered that he was out of debt,--that
Meredith, would twit him no more,--and he began to whistle, so
light-hearted, that no amount of money could have made him happier. He
only left off whistling to thank Hugh earnestly for having persuaded him
to open his heart to Mr Tooke.