in red lion square, on the first floor of a house which partakes of the general dinginess of the neighborhood, there are two rooms which bear on the outside door the well-sounding names of gurney & malcolmson; and on the front door to the street are the names of gurney & malcolmson, showing that the business transacted by messrs. gurney & malcolmson outweighs in importance any others conducted in the same house. in the first room, which is the smaller of the two occupied, sits usually a lad, who passes most of his time in making up and directing circulars, so that a stranger might be led to suppose that the business of gurney & malcolmson was of an extended nature.
but on the occasion to which we are about to allude the door of the premises was closed, and the boy was kept on the alert posting, or perhaps delivering, the circulars which were continually issued. this was the place of business affected by mr. tyrrwhit, or at any rate one of them. who were gurney & malcolmson it is not necessary that our chronicle should tell. no gurney or no malcolmson was then visible; and though a part of the business of the firm in which it is to be supposed that gurney & malcolmson were engaged was greatly discussed, their name on the occasion was never mentioned.
a meeting had been called at which the presiding genius was mr. tyrrwhit. you might almost be led to believe that, from the manner in which he made himself at home, mr. tyrrwhit was gurney & malcolmson. but there was another there who seemed to be almost as much at home as mr. tyrrwhit, and this was mr. samuel hart, whom we last saw when he had unexpectedly made himself known to his friend the captain at monaco. he had a good deal to say for himself; and as he sat during the meeting with his hat on, it is to be presumed that he was not in awe of his companions. mr. juniper also was there. he took a seat at one corner of the table, and did not say much. there was also a man who, in speaking of himself and his own affairs, always called himself evans & crooke. and there was one spicer, who sat silent for the most part, and looked very fierce. in all matters, however, he appeared to agree with mr. tyrrwhit. he is especially named, as his interest in the matter discussed was large. there were three or four others, whose affairs were of less moment, though to them they were of intense interest. these gentlemen assembled were they who had advanced money to captain scarborough, and this was the meeting of the captain's creditors, at which they were to decide whether they were to give up their bonds on payment of the sums they had actually advanced, or whether they would stand out till the old squire's death, and then go to law with the owner of the estate.
at the moment at which we may be presumed to be introduced, mr. tyrrwhit had explained the matter in a nervous, hesitating manner, but still in words sufficiently clear. "there's the money down now if you like to take it, and i'm for taking it." these were the words with which mr. tyrrwhit completed his address.
"circumstances is different," said the man with his hat on.
"i don't know much about that, mr. hart," said tyrrwhit.
"circumstances is different. i can't 'elp whether you know it or not."
"how different?"
"they is different,—and that's all about it. it'll perhaps shuit you and them other shentlemen to take a pershentage."
"it won't suit evans & crooke," said the man who represented that firm.
"but perhaps messrs. evans & crooke may be willing to save so much of their property," said mr. tyrrwhit.
"they'd like to have what's due to 'em."
"we should all like that," said spicer, and he gnashed his teeth and shook his head.
"but we can't get it all," said tyrrwhit.
"speak for yourself, mr. tyrrwhit," said hart. "i think i can get mine. this is the most almighty abandoned swindle i ever met in all my born days." the whole meeting, except mr. tyrrwhit, received this assertion with loudly expressed applause. "such a blackguard, dirty, thieving job never was up before in my time. i don't know 'ow to talk of it in language as a man isn't ashamed to commit himself to. it's downright robbery."
"i say so too," said evans & crooke.
"by george!" continued mr. hart, "we come forward to 'elp a shentleman in his trouble and to wait for our moneys till the father is dead, and then when 'e's 'ad our moneys the father turns round and says that 'is own son is a—oh, it's too shocking! i 'aven't slept since i 'eard it,—not a regular night's rest. now, it's my belief the captain 'as no 'and in it."
here mr. juniper scratched his head and looked doubtful, and one or two of the other silent gentlemen scratched their heads. messrs. evans & crooke scratched his head. "it's a matter on which i would not like to give an opinion one way or the other," said tyrrwhit.
"no more wouldn't i," said spicer.
"let every man speak as he finds," continued hart. "that's my belief. i don't mind giving up a little of my claim, just a thousand or so, for ready cash. the old sinner ought to be dead, and can't last long. my belief is when 'e's gone i'm so circumstanced i shall get the whole. whether or no, i've gone in for 'elping the captain with all my savings, and i mean to stick to them."
"and lose everything," said tyrrwhit.
"why don't we go and lug the old sinner into prison?" said evans & crooke.
"certainly that's the game," said juniper, and there was another loud acclamation of applause from the entire room.
"gentlemen, you don't know what you're talking about, you don't indeed," said tyrrwhit.
"i don't believe as we do," said spicer.
"you can't touch the old gentleman. he owes you nothing, nor have you a scratch of his pen. how are you to lug an old gentleman to prison when he's lying there cut up by the doctors almost to nothing? i don't know that anybody can touch him. the captain perhaps might, if the present story be false; and the younger son, if the other be true. and then they'd have to prove it. mr. grey says that no one can touch him."
"he's in the swim as bad as any of 'em," said evans & crooke.
"of course he is," said hart. "but let everybody speak for himself. i've gone in to 'earn a 'eavy stake honestly."
"that's all right," said evans & crooke.
"and i mean to 'ave it or nothing. now, mr. tyrrwhit, you know a piece of my mind. it's a biggish lot of money."
"we know what your claim is."
"but no man knows what the captain got, and i don't mean 'em to know."
"about fifteen thousand," came in a whisper from some one in the room.
"that's a lie," said mr. hart; "so there's no getting out of that. if the shentleman will mind 'is own concerns i'll mind mine. nobody knows,—barring the captain, and he like enough has forgot,—and nobody's going to know. what's written on these eight bits of paper everybody may know," and he pulled out of a large case or purse, which he carried in his breast coat-pocket, a fat sheaf of bills. "there are five thou' written on each of them, and for five thou' on each of them i means to stand out. 'it or miss. if any shentleman chooses to talk to me about ready money i'll take two thou' off. i like ready money as well as another."
"we can all say the same as that, mr. hart," said tyrrwhit.
"no doubt. and if you think you can get it, i advise you to stick to it. if you thought you could get it you would say the same. but i should like to get that old man's 'ead between my fists. wouldn't i punch it! thief! scoundrel! 'orrid old man! it ain't for myself that i'm speaking now, because i'm a-going to get it,—i think i'm a-going to get it;—it's for humanity at large. this kind of thing wiolates one's best feelings."
"'ear, 'ear, 'ear!" said one of the silent gentlemen.
"them's the sentiments of evans & crooke," said the representative of that firm.
"they're all our sentiments, in course," said spicer; "but what's the use?"
"not a ha'p'orth," said mr. tyrrwhit.
"asking your pardon, mr. tyrrwhit," said mr. hart, "but, as this is a meeting of creditors who 'ave a largish lot of money to deal with, i don't think they ought to part without expressing their opinions in the way of british commerce. i say crucifying 'd be too good for 'im."
"you can't get at him to crucify him."
"there's no knowing about that," said mr. hart.
"and now," said mr. tyrrwhit, drawing out his watch, "i expect mr. augustus scarborough to call upon us."
"you can crucify him," said evans & crooke.
"it is the old man, and neither of the sons, as have done it," said hart.
"mr. scarborough," continued tyrrwhit, "will be here, and will expect to learn whether we have accepted his offer. he will be accompanied by mr. barry. if one rejects, all reject."
"not at all," said hart.
"he will not consent to pay anything unless he can make a clean hit of it. he is about to sacrifice a very large sum of money."
"sacrifice!" said juniper.
"yes; sacrifice a very large sum of money. his father cannot pay it without his consent. the father may die any day, and then the money will belong altogether to the son. you have, none of you, any claim upon him. it is likely he may think you will have a claim on the estate, not trusting his own father."
"i wouldn't trust him, not 'alf as far as i could see him, though he was twice my father." this again came from mr. hart.
"i want to explain to these gentlemen how the matter stands."
"they understand," said hart.
"i'm for securing my own money. it's very hard,—after all the risk. i quite agree with mr. hart in what he says about the squire. such a piece of premeditated dishonesty for robbing gentlemen of their property i never before heard. it's awful."
"'orrid old man!" said mr. hart.
"just so. but half a loaf is better than no bread. now, here is a list, prepared in mr. grey's chambers."
"'e's another, nigh as 'orrid."
"on this list we're all down, with the sums he says we advanced. are we to take them? if so we must sign our names, each to his own figure." then he passed the list down the table.
the men there assembled all crowded to look at the list, and among others mr. juniper. he showed his anxiety by the eager way in which he nearly annihilated messrs. evans & crooke, by leaning over him as he struggled to read the paper. "your name ain't down at all," said evans & crooke. then a tremendous oath, very bitter and very wicked, came from the mouth of mr. juniper, most unbefitting a young man engaged to marry a young lady. "i tell you it isn't here," said evans & crooke, trying to extricate himself.
"i shall know how to right myself," said juniper, with another oath. and he then walked out of the room.
"the captain, when he was drunk one night, got a couple of ponies from him. it wasn't a couple all out. and juniper made him write his name for five hundred pounds. it was thought then that the squire 'd have been dead next day, and juniper 'd 've got a good thing."'
"i 'ate them ways," said mr. hart. "i never deal with a shentleman if he's, to say—drunk. of course it comes in my way, but i never does."
now there was heard a sound of steps on the stairs, and mr. tyrrwhit rose from his chair so as to perform the duty of master of the ceremonies to the gentlemen who were expected. augustus scarborough entered the room, followed by mr. barry. they were received with considerable respect, and seated on two chairs at mr. tyrrwhit's right hand. "gentlemen, you most of you know these two gentlemen. they are mr. augustus scarborough and mr. barry, junior partner in the firm of messrs. grey & barry."
"we knows 'em," said hart.
"my client has made a proposition to you," said mr. barry. "if you will give up your bonds against his brother, which are not worth the paper they are written on—"
"gammon!" said mr. hart.
"i will sign checks paying to you the sums of money written on that list. but you must all agree to accept such sums in liquidation in full. i see you have not signed the paper yet. no time is to be lost. in fact, you must sign it now, or my client will withdraw from his offer."
"withdraw; will 'e?" said hart. "suppose we withdraw? 'o does your client think is the honestest man in this 'ere swim?"
mr. barry seemed somewhat abashed by this question. "it isn't necessary to go into that, mr. hart," said he.
mr. hart laughed long and loud, and all the gentlemen laughed. there was something to them extremely jocose in their occupying, as it were, the other side of the question, and appearing as the honest, injured party. they enjoyed it thoroughly, and mr. hart was disposed to make the most of it. "no; it ain't necessary; is it? there ain't no question of honesty to be asked in this 'ere business. we quite understand that."
then up and spoke augustus scarborough. he rose to his feet, and the very fact of his doing so quieted for a time the exuberant mirth of the party. "gentlemen, mr. hart speaks to you of honesty. i am not going to boast of my own. i am here to consent to the expenditure of a very large sum of money, for which i am to get nothing, and which, if not paid to you, will all go into my own pocket;—unless you believed that you wouldn't be here to meet me."
"we don't believe nothing," said hart.
"mr. hart, you should let mr. scarborough speak," said tyrrwhit.
"vell, let 'im speak. vat's the odds?"
"i do not wish to delay you, nor to delay myself," continued augustus. "i can go, and will go, at once. but i shall not come back. there is no good discussing this matter any longer."
"oh no; not the least. ve don't like discussion; do ve, captain?" said mr. hart. "but you ain't the captain; is you?"
"as there seems to be no intention of signing that document, i shall go," said augustus. then mr. tyrrwhit took the paper, and signed it on the first line with his own name at full length. he wrote his name to a very serious sum of money, but it was less than half what he and others had expected to receive when the sum was lent. had that been realized there would have been no farther need for the formalities of gurney & malcolmson, and that young lad must have found other work to do than the posting of circulars. the whole matter, however, had been much considered, and he signed the document. mr. hart's name came next, but he passed it on. "i ain't made up my mind yet. maybe i shall have to call on mr. barry. i ain't just consulted my partner." then the document went down to mr. spicer, who signed it, grinning horribly; as did also evans & crooke and all the others. they did believe that was the only way in which they could get back the money they had advanced. it was a great misfortune, a serious blow. but in this way there was something short of ruin. they knew that scarborough was about to pay the money, so that he might escape a lawsuit, which might go against him; but then they also wished to avoid the necessity of bringing the lawsuit. looking at the matter all round, we may say that the lawyers were the persons most aggrieved by what was done on that morning. they all signed it as they sat there,—except mr. hart, who passed it on, and still wore his hat.
"you won't agree, mr. hart?" said tyrrwhit.
"not yet i von't," said hart. "i ain't thought it out. i ain't in the same boat with the rest. i'm not afraid of my money. i shall get that all right."
"then i may as well go," said augustus.
"don't be in a hurry, mr. scarborough," said tyrrwhit. "things of this kind can't be done just in a moment." but augustus explained that they must be done in a very few moments, if they were to be done at all. it was not his intention to sit there in gurney & malcolmson's office discussing the matter with mr. hart. notice of his intention had been given, and they might take his money or leave it.
"just so, captain," said mr. hart. "only i believe you ain't the captain. where's the captain now? i see him last at monte carlo, and he had won a pot of money. he was looking uncommon well after his little accident in the streets with young annesley."
mr. tyrrwhit contrived to get all the others out of the room, he remaining there with hart and augustus scarborough and mr. barry. and then hart did sign the document with altered figures: only that so much was added on to the sum which he agreed to accept, and a similar deduction made from that to which mr. tyrrwhit's name was signed. but this was not done without renewed expostulation from the latter gentleman. it was very hard, he said, that all the sacrifice should be made by him. he would be ruined, utterly ruined by the transaction. but he did sign for the altered sum, and mr. hart also signed the paper. "now, mr. barry, as the matter is completed, i think i will withdraw," said augustus.
"it's five thousand pounds clean gone out of my pocket," said hart, "and i vas as sure of it as ever i vas in my life. there vas no better money than the captain's. vell, vell! this vorld's a queer place." so saying, he followed augustus and mr. barry out of the room, and left mr. tyrrwhit alone in his misery.
