Two years of hard work rapidly passed away, during which, I suppose, I
made rapid progress in my profession, and also had the satisfaction of
seeing Hallett's machine grow towards perfection.
It had progressed slowly, in spite of the energy brought to bear, for
Hallett toiled at it patiently and well; but the work was for the most
part out of his hands now.
I had introduced him to Mr Girtley, who at once took a great deal of
interest in the scheme, but who rather damped us at first by pointing
out weaknesses, not of principle, but of construction, and at once
proposed that before the great machine itself was attempted, a working
model, four times the size of that laboriously constructed by Hallett,
should be made.
"It means time and expense, Mr Hallett," he said, "but over new things
we must be slow and sure. For instance, there will be great stress upon
certain parts--here--here--and here. I can say to you now that these
parts must be greatly strengthened, and I could make certain
calculations, but we can only learn by experience what is to be done."
There was so much good sense in this, that Hallett at once agreed, and
Mr Jabez of course nodded approval; and though it took a long time, the
trial of the little machine fully bore out Mr Girtley's prophecies; so
that great modifications had to be made.
"Yes," said Mr Girtley, after the trial, "it is discouraging,
certainly; but is it not better than having a breakdown just when your
hopes are highest?"
"Yes, but new moulds can be made, and you will go on at once," said
Hallett eagerly.
"Yes, the moulds shall be made, and we will go on at once."
"Mr Girtley thought me very impatient, Antony," said Hallett, as we
walked steadily back from Great George Street, where the little machine
had been set up; "but there are bounds to every one's patience, and I
feel sometimes as if the idol I have been trying to set up will not be
finished in my time."
"Nonsense?" I cried cheerily, "I guarantee it shall be. I'm to have a
lot of superintending to do, Hallett, and I'll leave no stone unturned
to get it on."
"Thank you, Antony," he said, "do your best. I grieve for poor Mr
Jabez more than for myself. Two hundred and fifty pounds of his money
gone, and he has nothing yet before him in return but an unsubstantial
shadow."
Miss Carr had been a good deal away from England during this time,
visiting her sister, who twice over returned with her to stay at
Westmouth Street. I had, however, kept her fully informed about the
progress made by Hallett. In fact, she knew my innermost life, and as
much of the Halletts' as I knew myself. Those were pleasant days,
though, when she was at home, much of my time being spent with her; and
though I found that Lister had made several attempts to see her, and had
written continually, he had never been successful.
I learned, too, that Mr Ruddle had interfered in concert with some
distant relatives of Miss Carr, and they had pretty well coerced Lister
into more reasonable behaviour.
He evidently, however, lived in the hope of yet resuming his old
relationship with Miss Carr, little dreaming how well acquainted she was
with his character, for, in no tale-bearing spirit, but in accordance
with her wish, that she should know everything in connection with my
daily life, I had told her of Lister's continued underhanded pursuit of
Linny, news which I afterwards found had come to her almost in company
with imploring letters, full of love, passion and repentance.
When I look back upon that portion of my life, it all seems now like a
dream of pleasure, that glided away as if by magic. I had no troubles--
no cares of my own, save such as I felt by a kind of reflex action. I
was young, active, and full of eagerness. Hallett's enterprise seemed
to be almost my own, and I looked forward to its success as eagerly as
he did himself.
The house at Great Ormond Street was a far less solemn place now than it
used to be, and many and bright were the evenings we spent together.
Hallett seemed less sad and self-contained, as he saw his mother take a
little interest in the group that used to form about her chair. For Mr
Jabez appeared to have become quite a new man, and there were not many
evenings that he did not spend at the Halletts'.
"Business, you see, Grace," he used to say, with a dry chuckle. "I must
be on the spot to talk over the machine with Hallett;" but somehow very
little used to be said about business: for very often after the first
introduction by the old man, there used to be a snug rubber at whist, in
which he and Mrs Hallett would be partners against Linny and Tom
Girtley.
For Tom used to come a great, deal in those days to see me. He used to
tell me, with a laughing light in his eye, that he was sure I must be
very dull there of an evening, and that it was quite out of kindness to
me. But, somehow or another, I suppose through my neglect, and the
interest I took in Hallett's work, he used to be driven upstairs, where
his bright, hearty ways made him always welcome. For after what looked
like dead opposition at first, Tom quite won Mr Jabez over to his side;
and, save and excepting a few squabbles now and then, which Mrs Hallett
took seriously, and which afforded Linny intense amusement, Mr Jabez
and Tom became the best of friends.
"I don't think he's such a very bad sort of fellow, as boys go, Grace,"
Mr Jabez said; "but look here, my boy, do you see how the land lies?"
"What do you mean, Mr Rowle?" I said laughing; "that Tom and Linny
seem to be getting very fond of one another?"
"Yes," he said, tapping me on the breast-bone with his snuff-box. "I
spoke to Hallett about it last night, and he said he was not sorry."
"Of course not. I am sure he likes Tom," I said thoughtfully, as I saw
how great an alteration had come about at the house, for Linny used to
sing about the place now like a bird, and Mary watched over her like a
dragon. In fact, Mary was a wonderful institution at Great Ormond
Street, and even Mrs Hallett was afraid of her, in so much that Mary's
practical ways seemed quite to silence her murmurings, and make her take
a more cheerful view of life.
"But look here, Grace," said Mr Jabez, "don't you be a young fool. You
don't want to grow into an old bachelor like I am."
"I don't know that I do," I said.
"Then about Linny: does it suit your book for that big child to be
coming here and cutting the ground from under your feet?"
"Cutting the ground from under my feet?" I said merrily. "Why, what do
you mean, Mr Jabez?"
"I mean, don't you be a young noodle, and play with your opportunities.
Linny's a very nice little girl, and I shouldn't be a bit surprised if
some day she had a few--perhaps a good many hundreds of her own. I tell
you what it is, Grace, my boy, I shouldn't be a bit displeased if you
were to play your cards right, and make a match of it with that little
girl."
"And I hope, Mr Rowle, you would not be a bit displeased if I did not
do anything of the sort?"
"H'm-m! No! I don't know that I should, boy. But, hang it all, you
are not. You have not any one else in your eye. You are not thinking
about Miss Carr, are you, you puppy?"