Japhet in Search of a Father Part 19

PART ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

THE MAJOR PREVENTS THE LANDLORD FROM IMPOSING ON ME, BUT I GAIN NOTHING BY HIS INTERFERENCE--FOR ECONOMICAL REASONS I AGREE TO LIVE WITH HIM THAT HE MAY LIVE ON ME.

I returned to the hotel, for my mind had been much agitated, and I wished for quiet, and the friends.h.i.+p of Timothy. As soon as I arrived I told him all that had pa.s.sed.

"Indeed," replied Timothy, "things do now wear a pleasant aspect; for I am afraid, that without that thousand, we could not have carried on for a fortnight longer. The bill here is very heavy, and I'm sure the landlord wishes to see the colour of his money."

"How much do you think we have left? It is high time, Timothy, that we now make up our accounts, and arrange some plans for the future,"

replied I. "I have paid the jeweller and the tailor, by the advice of the major, who says, that you should always pay your _first bills_ as soon as possible, and all your subsequent bills as late as possible; and if put off _sine die_, so much the better. In fact, I owe very little now, but the bill here--I will send for it to-night."

Here we were interrupted by the entrance of the landlord. "O Mr Wallace, you are the very person I wished to see; let me have my bill, if you please."

"It's not of the least consequence, sir," replied he; "but if you wish it, I have posted down to yesterday," and the landlord left the room.

"You were both of one mind, at all events," said Timothy, laughing; "for he had the bill in his hand, and concealed it the moment you asked for it."

In about ten minutes the landlord re-appeared, and presenting the bill upon a salver, made his bow and retired. I looked it over: it amounted to 104 pounds; which, for little more than three weeks, was pretty well.

Timothy shrugged up his shoulders, while I ran over the items. "I do not see that there is anything to complain of, Tim," observed I, when I came to the bottom of it; "but I do see that living here, with the major keeping me an open house, will never do. Let us see how much money we have left."

Tim brought the dressing-case in which our cash was deposited, and we found, that after paying the waiters, and a few small bills not yet liquidated, our whole stock was reduced to fifty s.h.i.+llings.

"Merciful Heaven! what an escape," cried Timothy; "if it had not been for this new supply, what should we have done?"

"Very badly, Timothy; but the money is well spent, after all. I have now entrance into the first circles. I can do without Major Carbonnell; at all events, I shall quit this hotel, and take furnished apartments, and live at the clubs. I know how to put him off."

I laid the money on the salver, and desired Timothy to ring for the landlord, when who should come up but the major and Harcourt. "Why, Newland! what are you going to do with that money?" said the major.

"I am paying my bill, major."

"Paying your bill, indeed; let us see--104 pounds. O this is a confounded imposition. You mustn't pay this." At this moment the landlord entered. "Mr Wallace," said the major, "my friend Mr Newland was about, as you may see, to pay you the whole of your demand; but allow me to observe, that being my very particular friend, and the Piazza having been particularly recommended by me, I do think that your charges are somewhat exorbitant. I shall certainly advise Mr Newland to leave the house to-morrow, if you are not more reasonable."

"Allow me to observe, major, that my reason for sending for my bill, was to pay it before I went into the country, which I must do to-morrow, for a few days."

"Then I shall certainly recommend Mr Newland not to come here when he returns, Mr Wallace; for I hold myself, to a certain degree, after the many dinners we have ordered here, and of which I have partaken, as I may say, _particeps criminis_, or in other words, as having been a party to this extortion. Indeed, Mr Wallace, some reduction must be made, or you will greatly hurt the credit of your house."

Mr Wallace declared, that really he had made nothing but the usual charges, that he would look over the bill again and see what he could do.

"My dear Newland," said the major, "I have ordered your dinners, allow me to settle your bill. Now, Mr Wallace, suppose we take off _one-third_?"

"_One-third_, Major Carbonnell! I should be a loser."

"I am not exactly of your opinion; but let me see--now take your choice.

Take off 20 pounds, or you lose my patronage, and that of all my friends. Yes or no?"

The landlord, with some expostulation, at last consented, he receipted the bill, and leaving 20 pounds of the money on the salver, made his bow, and retired.

"Rather fortunate that I slipped in, my dear Newland; now there are 20 pounds saved. By-the-by, I'm short of cash. You've no objection to let me have this? I shall never pay you, you know."

"I do know you _never_ will pay me, major; nevertheless, as I should have paid it to the landlord had you not interfered, I will lend it to you."

"You are a good fellow, Newland," said the major, pocketing the money.

"If I had borrowed it, and you had thought you would have had it repaid, I should not have thanked you; but as you lend it me with your eyes open, it is nothing more than a very delicate manner of obliging me, and I tell you candidly, that I will not forget it. So you really are off to-morrow?"

"Yes," replied I, "I must go; for I find that I am not to make ducks and drakes of my money, until I come into possession of my property."

"I see, my dear fellow. Executors are the very devil; they have no feeling. Never mind; there's a way of getting to windward of them. I dine with Harcourt, and he has come to ask you to join us."

"With pleasure."

"I shall expect you at seven, Newland," said Harcourt, as he quitted the room with the major.

"Dear me, sir, how could you let that gentleman walk off with your money?" cried Timothy. "I was just rubbing my hands with the idea that we were 20 pounds better off than we thought, and away it went, like smoke."

"And will never come back again, Tim; but never mind that, it is important that I make a friend of him, and his friends.h.i.+p is only to be bought. I shall have value received. And now, Tim, we must pack up, for I leave this to-morrow morning. I shall go down to--, and see little Fleta."

I dined with Harcourt. The major was rather curious to know what it was which appeared to flurry Lord Windermear, and what had pa.s.sed between us. I told him that his lords.h.i.+p was displeased on money matters, but that all was right, only that I must be more careful for the future.

"Indeed, major, I think I shall take lodgings. I shall be more comfortable, and better able to receive my friends."

Harcourt agreed with me, that it was a much better plan, when the major observed, "Why, Newland, I have a room quite at your service; suppose you come and live with me?"

"I am afraid I shall not save by that," replied I, laughing, "for you will not pay your share of the bills."

"No, upon my honour I will not; so I give you fair warning; but as I always dine with you when I do not dine elsewhere, it will be a saving to you--for you will _save your lodgings_, Newland; and you know the house is my own, and I let off the rest of it; so as far as that bill is concerned, you will be safe."

"Make the best bargain you can, Newland," said Harcourt: "accept his offer; for, depend upon it, it will be saving in the end."

"It certainly deserves consideration," replied I; "and the major's company must be allowed to have its due weight in the scale; if Carbonnell will promise to be a little more economical--"

"I will, my dear fellow--I will act as your steward, and make your money last as long as I can, for my _own sake_, as well as yours. Is it a bargain? I have plenty of room for your servant, and if he will a.s.sist me a little, I will discharge my own." I then consented to the arrangement.

PART ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

THE MAJOR TEACHES US HOW TO PLAY WHIST SO AS NEVER TO LOSE, WHICH IS BY PLAYING AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND INTO EACH OTHER'S HANDS.

The next day I went to the banker's, drew out 150 pounds and set off with Timothy for --. Fleta threw herself into my arms, and sobbed with joy. When I told her Timothy was outside, and wished to see her, she asked why he did not come in; and, to show how much she had been accustomed to see, without making remarks, when he made his appearance in his livery, she did not, by her countenance, express the least surprise, nor, indeed, did she put any questions to me on the subject.

The lady who kept the school praised her very much for docility and attention, and shortly after left the room. Fleta then took the chain from around her neck into her hand, and told me that she did recollect something about it, which was, that the lady whom she remembered, wore a long pair of ear-rings, of the same make and materials. She could not, however, call to mind anything else. I remained with the little girl for three hours, and then returned to London--taking my luggage from the hotel, and installed myself into the apartments of Major Carbonnell.

The major adhered to his promise; we certainly lived well, for he could not live otherwise; but in every other point he was very careful not to add to expense. The season was now over, and everybody of consequence quitted the metropolis. To remain in town would be to lose caste, and we had a conference where we should proceed.

"Newland," said the major, "you have created a sensation this season, which has done great honour to my patronage; but I trust, next spring, that I shall see you form a good alliance; for, believe me, out of the many heartless beings we have mingled with, there are still not only daughters, but mothers, who are not influenced by base and sordid views."

"Why, Carbonnell, I never heard you venture upon so long a moral speech before."

"True, Newland, and it may be a long while before I do so again: the world is my oyster, which I must open, that I may live; but recollect, I am only trying to recover my own, which the world has swindled me out of. There was a time when I was even more disinterested, more confiding, and more innocent than you were when I first took you in hand. I suffered, and was ruined by my good qualities; and I now live and do well by having discarded them. We must fight the world with its own weapons; but still, as I said before, there is some good in it, some pure ore amongst the dross; and it is possible to find high rank and large fortune, and at the same time an innocent mind. If you do marry, I will try hard but you shall possess both; not that fortune can be of much consequence to you."