"Then you can guarantee it to be a good one to go?"
"You couldn't have a better, sir."
"And it will stand a little roughish wear, you think?"
"I'm sure of it, sir; it's an uncommon strong watch."
"Then I'll take it."
These few sentences determined my destiny, and from that moment my
career may be said to have begun.
I am old, and run down, and good for nothing now; but many a time do I
find my thoughts wandering back to this far-off day; and remembering all
that has befallen me since that eventful moment, I humbly hope my life
has not been one to disgrace the good character with which I went out
into the world.
I was young at the time, very young--scarcely a month old. Watches
however, as every one knows, are a good deal more precocious in their
infancy than human beings. They generally settle down to business as
soon as they are born, without having to spend much of their time either
in the nursery or the schoolroom.
Indeed, after my face and hands had once been well cleaned, and a brand-
new shiny coat had been put on my back, it was years before I found
myself again called upon to submit to that operation which is such a
terror to all mortal children.
As to my education, it lasted just a week; and although I am bound to
say, while it lasted, it was both carefully and skilfully managed, I did
not at all fancy the discipline I was subjected to in the process. I
used to be handed over to a creature who took me up and examined me (as
if he were a policeman and a magistrate combined), and according as I
answered his questions he exclaimed, "You're going too fast," or "You're
going too slow," and with that he set himself to "regulate" me, as he
called it. I was ordered to turn round, take off my coat, and submit my
poor shoulders to his instrument of correction. But why need I describe
this experience to boys? They know what "regulating" means as well as I
do!
Well in due time I profited by the instructions received, and one day my
tutor, after the usual examination, grumpily told me, "You're right at
last; you can go." And I did go, and I've been going ever since.
The troubles of my infancy however were not all over. I discovered at a
very early age that the one thing a watch is never allowed to do is to
go to sleep. They'd as soon think of leaving an infant to starve as of
letting a watch go to sleep.
But to my story. Ever since I had left school--or, in other words, gone
through my due course of regulation--I had remained shut up under a
glass-case, lying comfortably upon a bed of purple velvet, and decorated
with a little white label bearing the mysterious inscription, "Only
Three Guineas." From this stately repose I was only once a day
disturbed in order to be kept from sleeping, and had all the rest of my
time to look about me and observe what went on in the world in which I
found myself.
It was not a big world indeed, but I could see I was not the only
inhabitant. All around me were watches like myself, some of a golden
complexion, and some--of which I was one--of a silvery. Some were big,
and made an awful noise, and some were tiny, and just whispered what
they had to say. Some were very proud, and showed off their jewels and
chains in a way which made me blush for the vanity of my fellow-
creatures--"dear" watches, the ladies called these, and others were as
plain as plain could be.
Every now and then our case would be opened, and one of my neighbours
taken out and never put back. Then we knew he had been sold, and we who
were left spent our time in gossiping about what had become of him, and
speculating whose turn would come next. A gold repeater near me was
very confident the turn would be his, and so impressed us with the sense
of his "striking" importance and claims, that when the next time our
glass house was entered, and a hand came groping in our direction, I at
once concluded it was his summons into publicity and honour. Imagine my
astonishment, then, when the hand, instead of reaching my gold
neighbour, took hold of me and cautiously drew me out of the case! My
heart leaped to my mouth--or whatever part of a watch's anatomy
corresponds with that organ--and I was ready to faint with excitement.
I had always imagined I was to lie in that case for years, but now, when
I was barely a month old, here was I going out into the world.
It made me quite bashful to listen to all the flattering things my
master said of me. I was worth twice the price he was selling me at, he
said; in fact, if trade had been good he would not have parted with me
under three times that price. It was a relief to think the repeater
could not overhear this, or he would have sneered in a way to extinguish
me altogether. As it was, no other watch was by, so that I was not very
much embarrassed.
After turning me over, and feeling my pulse, and listening to the
beating of my heart, and taking off my coat and waistcoat to inspect my
muscle, my master's customer at last laid me down on the counter and
pronounced the sentences with which I have begun my story.
"Then I'll take it," he said, and pulled out his purse. "Stop a bit,
though!" exclaimed he; "I'd better have a chain too, my little chap will
think more of that than the watch. Let me see some silver chains, will
you?"
So my master went and fetched a tray containing a large number of
tempting-looking chains.
While he was gone my new owner took me up again in his hand and turned
me over and put me to his ear; then as he laid me down again he smiled
to himself and murmured.
"Bless his little heart! how proud he'll be!"
I was quite taken aback. Who was this taking upon himself to bless my
little heart and prophesy that I should be proud? Then all of a sudden
it occurred to me this remark may have been intended to refer not to me,
but to the "little chap" the gentleman had just now spoken of. So I
recovered my composure, especially when I saw what a kind, gentle face
my purchaser had.
He chose a neat, strong silver chain which was forthwith, in accordance
with the barbarous practice of the age, fixed to my poor neck. I could
not help sighing as I felt for the first time the burden of bondage.
What had I done to be thus chained like a Roman captive, like a dog,
like a parrot? But it was no use being in a rage. I swallowed my
indignation as well as I could, and consoled myself with the reflection
that every watch, even gold repeaters themselves, are subject to the
same hardship.
Ah! I was young then, and my knowledge of the world was small. Many a
time since I have blessed the chain that held me, just as the ship,
could it speak, would bless the cable that saved it from the rocks.
Take the advice of an old ticker, you young watches, and instead of
rebelling against your chains, rather hope they may be strong and sound
in every link!
"That will be just five pounds, won't it?" said my purchaser. "Here is
a bank note. Never mind about doing it up, I'll just slip it into my
pocket. Good-morning."
And with that I was conscious of being lowered into a dark, deep pit,
and without time to bid my comrades good-bye, or to take a last look at
my old master, I felt myself hurried away I knew not whither.
This, then, was my first step into the world.
I lay untouched and apparently forgotten for several hours. Gradually
getting my eyes accustomed to the darkness, and looking about me as far
as I was able, I heard a ticking going on in a pocket not very far from
the one I was in, which I at once concluded to proceed from the watch of
my new master. Thinking I might be able to gain some information from
him, I groped about till I found a small hole in my lodgings through
which I was able to peep, and call.
"Tick!" said I, as loud as I could, to secure the attention of my
fellow-watch.
"Who's that?" at once exclaimed the other.
"I'm a new watch, bought to-day."
"Humph! How much?"
"Three guineas."
"Chain and all?"
"No; five pounds with the chain."
"Humph, I cost thirty guineas. Never mind, you're for the boy."
"What boy?"
"The governor's. I heard him say he was going to get him one. That boy
will be spoiled, as sure as I go on springs; he's made such a lot of.
Have you been regulated?"
"I should think I have!" exclaimed I, in indignant recollection of my
education.
"All right; keep your temper. What time are you?"
"Seven minutes to six."
"Wrong! It's seven and three-quarters!"
"How do you know?"
"Because that's what I make it."
"How do you know you are right?" I asked, wondering at my own impudence
in thus questioning an old ticker.
"Look here, young fellow," said the other in an awful voice; "you don't
seem to know you are addressing a gold watch that has neither gained nor
lost a minute for five years! There! You may think yourself clever;
but you're too fast."
"I'm sure I beg your--"
"That'll do!" said the offended veteran. "I want no more words."
I was completely shut up at this, and retired back to my pocket very
crestfallen.
Presently I began to feel drowsy; my nerves seemed to get unstrung, and
my circulation flagged. It was long after the time I had generally been
in the habit of being wound up; and I began to be afraid I was really
going to be left to go to sleep. That, by this time, I knew would be
nothing short of a calamity. I therefore gave a slight tug at my chain.
"What's the matter?" it said, looking down.
"I've not been wound up."
"I can't help that," said the chain.
"Can't you let him know somehow?" I gasped, faintly.
"How can I? He's busy packing up books."
"Couldn't you catch yourself in his fingers or something? I'm in a bad
way."
"I'll see," said the chain.
Presently I felt an awful tug at my neck, and I knew the chain had
managed to entangle itself somehow with his fingers.
"Hullo!" I heard my master exclaim, "I mustn't smash Charlie's chain
before I give it to him. I'd better put it and the watch away in my
drawer till the morning. Heigho! it'll be a sad day for me to-morrow!"
As he spoke he drew me from the pocket, and, disengaging the chain from
his button-hole, he laid us both in a drawer and shut it up. I was in
despair, and already was nearly swooning from weakness.
He had shut the drawer, and his hand was still on the knob, when all of
a sudden he exclaimed,--
"By the way, I must wind it up, or it'll stop!"
With what joy and relief I saw the drawer again opened, and felt myself
taken out and wound up! Instantly new life seemed to infuse itself
through my frame; my circulation revived, my nerves were strung again,
and my drooping heart resumed its usual healthy throb. Little did my
master think of the difference this winding up made to my health and
comfort.
"Now you're happy!" said the chain, as we found ourselves once more in
the drawer.
"Yes; I'm all right now, I'm glad to say," said I. "What's going to
happen to us to-morrow?" I asked presently.
"We're going to be given to the boy, and he's going to school;" so the
silver chain told me. "Nice time we shall have of it, I expect."
After that he went to sleep, and I fell to counting the seconds, and
wondering what sort of life I was destined to lead.
About an hour after I heard two voices talking in the room.
"Well," said one, and I recognised it at once as my master's, "the
packing's all finished at last."
"Ah, Charles," said the other, and it seemed to be a woman's voice
speaking amid tears, "I never thought it would be so hard to part with
him."
"Tut, tut!" said the first, "you mustn't give way, Mary. You women are
so ready to break down. He'll soon be back;" but before my master had
got to the end of his sentence he too had broken down.
For a long time they talked about their boy, their fine boy who had
never before left his parents' roof, and was about now to step out into
the treacherous world. How they trembled for him, yet how proudly and
confidently they spoke of his prospects; how lovingly they recalled all
their life together, from the days when he could first toddle about,
down to the present.
Many tears were mingled with their talk, and many a smothered sob
bespoke a desperate effort to subdue their common sorrow. At last they
became quieter, then I heard my master say,--
"I positively have never shown you the watch I got for him," and with
that he opened the drawer and produced me.
"Oh, Charles," cried the mother, "how delighted he will be, and what a
capital watch it is!"
And she looked at me affectionately for a long time, for her son's sake,
smiling through her tears, and then put me back.
Need I say that as these two knelt together that night, their only son
was not forgotten in their prayers?
So ended the first day of my adventures.