"What will you have, then? Have some almonds and raisins? Figs? Some
oranges? Well, some sweetstuff? They've got some capital cocoa-nut
candy downstairs! No? Well, have some candied peel?"
"No, thank you, Mr Jabez," I said, laughing. "Why, what a baby you do
think me."
"Well, so you are," he growled. "You don't want me to ask you to have
beer, or grog, or cigars, do you?"
"Oh no!" I said, laughing.
"Good job, too, because you wouldn't catch me giving them to you. Well,
how's your policeman?"
"Quite well."
"Ever see Hallett now?"
"Every day nearly."
"Humph! Decent fellow, Hallett; sorry he left us. Cleanest proofs I
ever had. That man always read his stick, Grace. You always read
yours?"
"But you forget I am not a printer now, Mr Jabez."
"No, I don't, stupid. Can't you see I was speaking in metaphors?
Always read your stick, boy, through life. When you've done a thing, go
over it again to see if it's right; and then, at the end, you'll find
your proof-sheets of life are not half so foul. Tell Hallett, when you
see him again, to give me a look up. I rather liked him."
"Why, you never seemed to like him, Mr Jabez," I said.
"Well, what of that, boy? Can't a man like anybody without always going
about and grinning?"
He took another pinch of snuff, and then nodded and tapped his box.
"How's Mr Grimstone?" I said, smiling.
"Oh, hard as a nut, and as awkward. Gives me a deal of trouble."
"And is Jem Smith with you still?"
"With me? No; but he's in a house close by, the great stupid lout!
He's got whiskers now, and grown more thick-headed than ever. Grimstone
had a sharp illness, though, over that affair."
"What affair?" I asked.
"Why, when the partnership was broken up--you know?"
"No," I said, wonderingly.
"Why, you must have heard. When John Lister was bankrupt. He was dead
in with the money-lenders, and he had to give up, you know."
"What! was he ruined?"
"Ruined? yes, a gambling fool; and if Mr Ruddle hadn't been pretty
firm, the rascal would have ruined him too--pulled the house down."
"This is news," I said.
"Yes, and bad news, too," said the old fellow. "Five hundred pounds of
my savings went--lent money--for him to make ducks and drakes!"
"Oh, Mr Jabez," I said: "I am very sorry."
"Don't deserve it," he said, taking another pinch; "served me right for
being such a fool. I don't mind now; I never cry over spilt milk, but
it nearly broke poor old Grim's heart. Five hundred of his went, too,
and it was very nearly being more."
"I remember something about it," I said. "You were speaking on the
subject once before me."
"Ah, so we were. Well, it was a warning to me, Grace. Temptation, you
know."
"Temptation?"
"Yes, to get bonus and high interest. Playing usurer, my boy. Serve us
both right. Don't you ever be led on to lending money on usury."
"I'm not likely ever to have any to lend," I said, laughing.
"I don't know that," he said, making another reference to his snuff-box.
"Peter said in one of his letters that he thought there was some money
that ought to come to you."
"I'm afraid not," I said, laughing. "I've a long debt to pay yet."
"You!--you in debt, you young rascal!" he exclaimed angrily.
"I always said I would some day pay off my father's debts, Mr Jabez," I
said; and then my words brought up such a flood of sad recollections,
that I was about to eagerly change the subject, when Mr Jabez leaned
over to me and took my hand.
"Good lad," he said, shaking it up and down. "Good lad. I like that.
I don't believe you ever will pay them, you know; but I like the sound
of it all the same."
He kept on shaking my hand some time, and only left it to take another
pinch of snuff.
"And has Mr Lister quite gone from the firm?"
"Oh, yes, quite, my lad. He was up to his eyes in debt, and when he
didn't marry that girl, and get her money to pay himself off clear, he
went smash at once. Lucky escape for her. I'm afraid he was a bad
one."
"And what is he doing now?"
"What, Lister? Set up a rival shop on borrowed money; doing all he can
to cut down his old partner, but he'll do no good. Can't get on.
Hasn't got a man on the premises who can read."
"Indeed!" I said.
"Not a soul, Grace. Why, you wouldn't believe it, my lad," he
continued, tapping me in the shirt-front with his snuff-box, "but I had
one of their Chancery-bills in the other day--big quarto, you know, pica
type--and there were two turned _n's_ for _u's_ in the second page."
"Never?" I said, to humour him.
"Fact, sir, fact," he said, taking another pinch of snuff and snapping
his fingers triumphantly. "Why, I'd hardly forgive that in a daily
paper where there's a rush on, and it's got up in the night; but in a
thing like a Chancery-bill it's inexcusable. Well, now about yourself,
Grace. I'm glad you are getting on, boy. Never mind what I said; it's
better than being a reader, and growing into a snuffy cantankerous old
scarecrow like me. Read your stick well, my boy, and I hope--no, I'm
sure you'll get on. But I say, what will you have to eat?"
"I'm not hungry, Mr Jabez," I said; "and, look here, I haven't
delivered my message to you."
"Message? To me?"
"Yes, sir. Miss Carr wished me to ask you if you would come and dine
with her to-morrow."
"Me? Dine with Miss Carr--Carr--Carr? Why, that's the girl Lister was
to have married."
"Yes--Miss Carr," I said.
"But me dine with her! Why, she hasn't fallen in love with me now, has
she?"
"Oh no," I said, laughing. "She wants to see you on business."
"See me on business? why, Grace," he said excitedly, "I was to be paid
my five hundred out of her money, and wasn't paid. Is she repenting,
and going to give it to me?"
"No," I said; "I don't think it's that."
"No, of course not," he said thoughtfully. "Couldn't take it if were.
What does she want, then? Do you know?"