My life at the office grew more miserable every day, and Mr Isaac
Dempster more tyrannical.
That's a big word to use, and seems more appropriate to a Roman emperor
than to a London auctioneer; but, on quietly thinking it over, it is
quite correct, for I honestly believe that that man took delight in
abusing Esau and me.
Let me see; what did some one say about the employment of boys? "A boy
is a boy; two boys are half a boy; and three boys are no boy at all."
Of course, as to the amount of work they do. But it is not true, for I
know--one of the auction-room porters told me--that Mr Dempster used to
keep two men-clerks in his office, till they both discharged themselves
because they would not put up with what the porter called "his
nastiness." Then we were both engaged.
That was one day when Dingle came down in his green baize apron and
carpet-cap, and had to wait till our employer returned from his lunch.
"Ah!" he said, "the guv'nor used to lead them two a pretty life, and
keep 'em ever so late sometimes."
"But he had more business then, I suppose?" I said.
"Not he. Busier now, and makes more money. Nobody won't stop with
him."
"Yes, they will," said Esau. "You said you'd been with him fourteen
years."
"Yes," said Dingle, showing his yellow teeth, "but I'm an auctioneer's
fixtur', and going ain't in my way."
"Why not?" asked Esau.
"Got a wife and twelve children, squire, and they nails a man down."
Just then Mr Dempster came in, ordered Dingle to go into his room, and
we could hear him being well bullied about something, while as he came
out he laughed at us both, and gave his head a peculiar shake.
"Off!" he whispered. "Flea in each ear."
I mention this because it set me thinking that if we two lads of sixteen
or seventeen did all the work for which two men were formerly kept, we
could not be quite so useless and stupid as Mr Dempster said.
I know that my handwriting was not so very good, and I was not quite so
quick with my pen as Esau, but his writing was almost like copper-plate,
and I used to feel envious; though I had one consolation--I never made
Esau's mistakes in spelling.
But nothing we ever did was right, and as the weeks went on, made bright
to me now by my visits up in North London, Esau would throw down his pen
three or four times a day, rub his hands all over his curly head, and
look over the top of the desk at me.
"Now then," he used to say; "ready?"
"Ready for what?"
"To go and 'list. We're big enough now."
"Nonsense!"
"'Tain't nonsense," he said one morning, after Mr Dempster had been a
little more disagreeable than usual about some copying not being
finished, and then gone out, leaving me thinking what I could do to give
him a little more satisfaction, so as to induce him to raise the very
paltry salary he paid me. "'Tain't nonsense. Mother says that if I
stop I shall some day rise and get to be Lord Mayor, but I don't think
Demp would like it, so when you're ready we'll go.--Ready?"
"No."
"You are a fellow!" said Esau, taking up his pen again. "I say, though,
I wish we could get places somewhere else."
"Why not try?"
"Because it would only be to do writing again, and it's what makes me so
sleepy. I'm getting worse--keep making figures and writing out
catalogues till my head gets full of 'em."
"It is tiring," I said, with a sigh. "But do go on; he'll be so cross
if that list isn't finished."
"Can't help it. I'm ever so much more sleepy this morning, and the
words get running one atop of another. Look here," he cried, holding up
a sheet of ruled paper. "This ought to have been `chest of drawers,'
and it's run into one word, `chawers'; and up higher there's another
blunder, `loo-table,'--it's gone wrong too--do you see?--`lable.' My
head's all a buzz."
"Tear it up quickly and write it again."
"Shan't; I shall correct it. No, I know. I shall cut the paper up, and
stick it on another sheet, and write these lines in again. Pass the
gum. Oh!"
"What's the matter?"
"Here's `mogany' lower down, and `Tarpet' for `Turkey carpet.'"
"Write it again, do," I said, for I dreaded the scene that I knew there
would be.
"Ah, well, all right, but I know I shall muddle it again, and--"
"As usual," cried Mr Dempster, and we both started back on to our
stools, for we had been standing up on the rails leaning towards each
other over the double desk, so intent on the errors that we had not
heard him open the door softly--I believe, on purpose to surprise us.
We began writing hard, and I felt my heart beating fast, as our employer
banged the door heavily and strode up to the desk.
I gave one quick glance at him as he turned to Esau's side, and snatched
up the sheet of paper the boy tried to hide under the blotting-pad; and
as I looked I saw that his face was flushed and fierce-looking as I had
never seen it before.
"Hah!" he ejaculated, as he took off his glossy hat and stood it on a
chair, with his ivory-handled Malacca cane across it. "Pretty stuff
this, upon my word. Here, let me look at that letter."
He reached over and snatched the missive I was writing from the desk,
and held it up before him.
"Do you call that writing?" he roared. "Disgraceful! Abominable! The
first boy I met in the street would do better. There--and there--and
there!"
He tore the letter to fragments and threw the paper in my face.
"Now then; write another directly," he cried; "and if you dare to--Here,
what are you going to do?" he roared, as Esau took hold of the sheet of
paper containing the errors.
"Going to write it over again, sir."
"Write it over again, you miserable impostor!" he cried, as he snatched
the paper back and laid a leaden weight upon it. "I'll teach you to
waste my time and paper gossiping--that's what it means."
"Here, what are you going to do?" cried Esau, as Mr Dempster seized him
by the collar.
"I'll show you what I'm going to do, you idle young scoundrel," cried
Mr Dempster, and he reached out his hand to take his stout cane from
where it lay across his hat.
"Here, don't you hit me," cried Esau; and he tried to get away, as I sat
breathless, watching all that was going on, and thinking that Mr
Dempster dared not use the walking-cane in the way he seemed to
threaten. Esau evidently thought he would, for he struggled hard now,
but in vain, and he was dragged towards the chair. Then, as pulling
seemed no use, the lad changed his tactics, and he darted forward to
make for the door, just as Mr Dempster's hand was touching the stick,
which he did not secure, for the jerk he received sent cane and hat off
the chair on to the floor.
"You dog!" roared Dempster, as the hat went on to the oilcloth with a
hollow bang.
"Don't you hit me!" cried Esau, struggling wildly to escape; and the
next moment, as they swayed to and fro, I heard a strange crushing
sound, and on looking to see the cause, there lay Mr Dempster's
beautiful guinea-and-a-half hat crushed into a shapeless, battered mass.
"Ah!" roared Mr Dempster, "you dog; you did that on purpose."
"I didn't," cried Esau; "it was your foot did it."
"Was it? was it?" snarled Mr Dempster, and the struggle recommenced,
until I, with the perspiration standing on my forehead, caught tightly
hold of the desk.
Esau was pretty strong, but he was almost helpless in the bands of the
angry man who held him, and the struggle ended, after the high stool and
the chair had both been knocked over with a crash, by Mr Dempster's
getting Esau down and holding him there with one knee upon his chest.
"Hah!" he ejaculated, panting. "Here you, Gordon, get down and pick up
my cane," and he gave his head a jerk in the direction of where the
stick lay, just as it had been knocked close to the door.
Months of rigid obedience to the tyrant had their effect, and I got down
from my stool trembling with excitement.
"Oh, don't, don't, Gordon!" cried Esau; "don't give it him."
But my employer's eyes were fixed upon me with such a look that I was
fascinated, and as if moved against my own will, I crossed the office
and picked up the thick cane.
"Give it here, quick!"
For I stood there hesitating, but the imperative voice mastered me, and
I moved towards the speaker.
"Don't--don't give it him," cried Esau.
"Quick--this instant!" roared Mr Dempster, and I handed the cane.
"You sneak!" cried Esau angrily; "I'd ha' died first."
His words sent a sting through me, and I would have given anything to
have been able to say, "I couldn't help it, Esau." But I was
speechless, and felt the next instant as if a blow had fallen upon me,
as I saw with starting eyes Mr Dempster shift his position, keeping a
tight hold of Esau by the collar as he rose into a stooping position,
and then, _whizz! thud_! he brought the cane down with all his force
across the lad's shoulders.
Esau uttered a yell as he tried to spring up, but he was held fast, and
the blows were falling thick and fast upon the struggling lad, when I
could bear it no longer, and with one bound I was at the auctioneer, and
had fast hold of the cane.
"Stop!" I shouted, half hysterically; "you shan't beat him. You have
no right to do it, sir. Esau, get up. Run!"
"Let go!" cried Mr Dempster, turning a face black with passion at me.
"Do you hear, beggar? Let go!"
"I will not," I cried, for my blood was up now, and I did not feel in
the least afraid. "You have no right to beat him."
"Let go!"
"Don't, don't, Gordon! Yah! you great coward!"
"Once more, will you let go?" cried Mr Dempster, as he stood with one
hand in Esau's collar, bent down, and tugging at the cane, to which I
clung.
"No," I cried. "You shall not strike him again."
I had hardly spoken when Mr Dempster rose up, loosening his hold of
Esau, and dashing his free hand full in my face, while, as I fell back,
he jerked the cane away and struck at me a cruel stinging blow from the
left shoulder, as a cavalry-man would use a sabre, the cane striking me
full across the right ear, while the pain was as acute as if the blow
had been delivered by a keen-edged sword.
For a few moments I staggered back, half stunned and confused, while
blow succeeded blow, now delivered on my back and arms with all his
might.
As I said, the first cruel, cowardly blow half stunned me; those which
followed stung me back into a wild state of rage and pain which made me
reckless and blind, as, regardless of pain and the fact that he was a
well-knit, strong man, I made a dash at the cane, got hold of it with
both hands, and in spite of his efforts kept my grip of the stout
elastic stick.
I knew that I was swung here and there, and the cane was tugged at till
the ivory handle fell on the floor, and then he changed his attack,
letting go of the cane with one hand and catching me by the throat.
"Now then," he cried, and I felt that I was mastered.
Then I knew I was wrong, for at that moment Mr Dempster was driven
forward, his forehead striking mine, and as I fell back my assailant
fell on his knees, and I stood panting, the master of the cane.
The explanation was simple. Esau had watched his opportunity, and
leaped upon our tyrant's back, pinning his arms to his sides, and making
him in his surprise loosen his hold of the cane.
It is hard work to recall it now, so wild and confused it all seems; but
I remember well that I must have struck Mr Dempster, and that as he
came at me Esau seized and overturned the great desk right in his way,
sending him down again, while the next moment my fellow-clerk was
holding open the door, shouting to me to come.
I caught down my hat and Esau's, and made for the door, which Esau
dragged to in our employer's face, and the next minute we were tearing
up the lane.
"Stop them! stop thief!" was shouted hoarsely, and in our excitement we
looked back to see our enemy in pursuit, while, as we turned again to
run, we found ourselves face to face with a burly City policeman, who
caught each of us by an arm.