He appeared neither to notice my manner nor my tone.
"You've had a long spell of it," said he. "I'd no idea a broken arm was
such a serious thing. But I dare say you'll be all the better for your
long rest."
I set to work to open my desk and get together my papers and pens, ready
for work.
"It was a bad fall you had," continued he, standing beside me as I was
thus employed. "You have no idea how distressed I was when it happened.
But Whipcord was really in such a shocking state that night that--"
"Can you give me a piece of blotting-paper?" I said to Doubleday across
the desk.
He waited till I had got what I wanted, and proceeded, smiling as ever,
"It really wasn't safe for any of us. Masham, by the way, was very
sorry to hear of your accident, and asked me to tell you so. I meant to
do so the evening I called, but your friend was really so polite that I
forgot all about it."
I had stood it thus far, and kept to my resolve of saying as little as I
could. But when he brought in Jack's name it was all I could do to hold
my peace.
I made an excuse to leave my place and consult a Directory, in the hopes
of shaking him off, but there he was when I returned, ready to go on as
benignly as ever.
"I'm sure, Batchelor," said he, "it must have been greatly against you
to be cooped up in that miserable lodging all the time, and in--what I
should call--such uncongenial society. But when one is ill, of course
one has just to put up with what one can get."
My patience had reached its limit at last.
"My friend's society is more congenial to me than yours is at present!"
I said, colouring up and bending over my writing.
"I see," said he, "he has got you under this thumb again, and means to
keep you there."
"Will you let me get on with my work?" I said.
"Oh, certainly!" said he, smiling blandly. "I merely wished to tell you
how glad I was to see you back at last; but I dare say that doesn't
interest you."
I made no answer, and, seeing that I was determined to hold no more
conversation, he gently withdrew.
I felt quite relieved when he had done so, and still more to find that,
for the first time in my life, I had been proof against his
blandishments.
"What have you been doing to Petty-Cash?" whispered Doubleday to me,
presently; "he looks so smiling and benevolent that I'm certain you must
have given him mortal offence about something or other."
"I don't care if I have," I said.
Doubleday whistled softly. "I say, young 'un," said he, "your illness
has smartened you up a bit, I reckon, eh?"
This, coming from the source it did, I felt to be a compliment.
However, I had more calls upon my new resolutions before the day was
over.
The partners arrived and received me--each in his own peculiar way--very
kindly. Mr Merrett was good enough to say the work of the office had
suffered a good deal in my absence, and Mr Barnacle said he hoped I had
come back prepared to make up for lost time. To both which observations
I listened respectfully, and returned once more to my desk.
The morning passed quickly and busily. I had made a plunge into the
difficult task so considerately saved up for me by Doubleday, and felt
quite refreshed by the array of figures to be dealt with. In fact, I
was so engrossed with it that when Jack came and asked me if I was going
out to lunch I said I really could not leave it now, but would take my
lunch later on.
So he went, and several of the others, leaving me with Crow, Wallop, and
Hawkesbury, in possession of the office.
The two former heroes had by this time somewhat recovered from their
surprise at seeing me once more in the land of the living, and seemed
disposed to wax facetious in proportion at my expense.
I dug my thumbs into my ears, in the hopes of getting on with my work,
but it was not easy, and I had at last to give up the attempt.
"Jolly glad he's not kicked the bucket, for one thing," said Wallop.
"Why?" asked Crow, apparently surprised that there should be any reason
for thankfulness in such an event.
"He owes me thirty bob, that's all," said Wallop.
It was true! It was one of the oldest of my debts, and one which had
been greatly on my mind for many a day.
"Ah!" said I, feeling constrained to take some notice of the remark.
"I'm afraid I've kept you out of that money a long time, Wallop."
"Don't mention it," said Wallop. "When I want it I'll drop on you for
it, my boy."
"I'll try to pay it off as soon as ever I can," I said.
I disliked Wallop, as I have said, and the thought that I owed him money
was not at all pleasant to me.
My creditor laughed.
"There's plenty more will be glad to hear you're better," said he.
"There's Shoddy I met the other week in a regular blue funk because he
thought you'd bolted. He wanted to come down and see the governors here
about his little bill, but I managed to pacify him. But he says if you
don't give him a call soon he'll wake you up."
"I'll go and see him at once," I said, feeling very uncomfortable.
"Then there's the Twins. It seems you're on their books for a matter of
a sov. or so advanced you at odd times. They've been most affectionate
in their inquiries about you."
It wasn't pleasant to be reminded thus on my first morning back at work
of the burden of debt which still pressed on me from the old, and I
humbly hoped bygone, days of my extravagance. Not even a broken arm or
a dangerous fever will wipe off old scores.
Wallop rather enjoyed going through the catalogue of my debts.
"Then there's Tucker, the pastrycook, wants half-a-sov. at the very
least, and Weeden, the tobacconist, a florin for mild cigarettes, and--"
"Yes, yes," I said; "I know all about it, and I'm going to pay them
all."
"That's a good job," remarked Wallop, "and the sooner you tell them all
so the better. They'd all like to have your present address."
"I'm not sure that that would console them much," said Crow. "It's
rather a shadier place than the old one."
"Yes, when you come to think of it, a fellow would get a bit shy when he
read the address, `care of Tom Jailbird, Esquire, Up a Slum, Drury
Lane.'"
"Look here!" cried I, suddenly starting up; "don't you call my friend
names, please."
Nothing could have delighted the genial pair more than my excitement.
They greeted my protest with laughter, and winking at one another,
continued to talk among themselves.
"Good practice, I should think. Crow, living with a chap like that--get
used to prison fare. Come all the easier later on."
"Wonder if they practise picking one another's pockets to keep their
hands in, of an evening."
"I'm told that jailbird has got an album full of tickets-of-leave."
"Ah! His father must have travelled a good bit in his time."
It was pitiful, paltry jesting, but it was more than I could stand.
"Will you stop?" I shouted.
"Nobody was speaking to you," said Wallop.
"You were speaking of my friend!" I exclaimed.
"More shame to you for chumming up with such disreputable lot," said
Crow.
"Do you hear? stop it!" I shouted.
"We'll stop it," said Wallop, "when--"