Sawn Off Part 19

"Now, sir," began Max, fiercely addressing his brother, "what have you to say?"

"Well, I don't know yet," said d.i.c.k, looking in a puzzled way from one to the other. "What is it?"

"Don't know!" cried Max. "Didn't I speak to you, sir, an hour or two back?"

"Was it an hour or two back?" said d.i.c.k, who still held and soothed Jessie, as she clung to him.

"Yes, it was, sir!" cried Max, who was surprised that his brother did not cower, according to his wont. "I told you an hour or two ago that I would not have these disgraceful proceedings."

"What disgraceful proceedings?" said d.i.c.k sullenly.

"These," cried Max, pointing with his stick first at Jessie and then at Tom. "I speak to you, and warn you--"

"Let me say a word," began Tom.

"Hold your tongue, sir!" cried Max, holding up his stick; but the young man did not flinch. "I say, I speak to you and warn you, and directly after I find your girl arm-in-arm with this foolish son of mine in the open street, sir--in the open street."

"Well, Max, you can't have the streets shut up," said d.i.c.k quietly.

"How dare you address me, sir, like that?" cried Max. "Will you listen, Mr Shingle?" cried Tom, who was losing patience--"it was all my fault."

"Silence, sir! I will not hear a word. Your conduct is disgraceful, and after the Christian example that has been set you--"

"I don't see anything unchristianlike in loving a good, sweet girl, sir," said the young man stoutly. "I cannot stand here and let you speak like this."

"Then go, sir, go; and never dare to enter beneath this roof again while these people are here," cried Max. "I suppose you have had baits set to coax you into the trap, you silly pigeon?"

"Indeed--"

"But let me tell them all," said Max, looking round with supreme disgust, "that if their nefarious scheme had succeeded, you would not have received a shilling from me." d.i.c.k broke in here. He had been ready to explode several times, but had been kept back by wife and child. Now he could contain himself no longer.

"Here, let me say a word," he exclaimed. "He hasn't been coaxed here, nor anything of the sort, Mr Max. We don't want him, and won't have him; so there now."

"Oh, father!" exclaimed Jessie.

"You hold your tongue, miss," cried d.i.c.k, "and just try and have some pride in you."

"How dare you speak to me like that, sir!" cried Max, frowning portentously--"how dare you! You, whom I've tried to raise out of the mud, but who always would persist in grovelling!"

"I shouldn't have had to grovel so much if people paid me for the boots they ordered," said d.i.c.k.

"You contemptible wretch!" cried Max. "You cloven-hoofed viper, who persists in turning and biting the hand that helped you! And after all we meant to do for you to try and raise you!--to endeavour to clothe and educate your neglected child, whose conduct as a work-girl is most reprehensible."

"Look here," cried d.i.c.k, whose face was working with anger.

"Silence, sir!" cried Max, thumping his stick upon the floor. "You grow lower and lower year by year, and now try to reward me by making this despicable plan to drag yourself up to my level. Now, look here. I've warned you, and it has been of no use. I have let you occupy this house, when I might have had a better tenant, and you have got in arrears."

"Only two weeks," cried Mrs Shingle indignantly.

"Silence, woman!" cried Max.

"Don't bully her, Max, or there'll be a row," exclaimed d.i.c.k fiercely.

"Silence, both of you! I say I've let you get in arrears of rent for my property; and now you shall leave it. I'll let the house to honest people who will pay--"

"Oh, Mr Max!" cried Mrs Shingle imploringly.

"And then I shall see the last of you, and have no more of these disgraceful meetings."

"Mr Shingle, this is too bad," cried Tom.

"Silence, boy!" said Max, placing one hand in the breast of his glossy frock-coat, and scowling round at all in turn. "Does any one here think I'd disgrace my honourable wife by permitting such an alliance?"

"Nice brotherly behaviour, this!" cried d.i.c.k indignantly.

"Brotherly?" cried Max. "Sir, I disown all relationship with you.

You've hung on to my skirts too long, and now I'll be free of you.

Miserable, grovelling beggar!"

"I never begged or borrowed of you," said d.i.c.k.

"No; because I checked the impulse, or I should have had to keep you.

And now you want to disgrace me and mine."

"I'm sure no man could have been more industrious," put in Mrs Shingle.

"Industrious?" cried Max, looking round at the shabby half workshop, half sitting-room. "Industrious? Yes, always idling in his wretched slough, instead of trying to improve his position--to get on. But I'll have no more of it: leave this place you shall at once."

"Oh, Mr Shingle--Uncle Max!" cried Jessie piteously, "it was all my fault: I ought to have known better. Don't turn poor father and mother out. They work and try so hard."

"Bah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Max contemptuously; while Tom made for Jessie, but a heavy arm was laid across his chest.

"Don't--pray don't," sobbed Jessie, joining her hands and looking piteously up in the smooth, smug face. "Don't do that, and I'll promise never to see--never to see Tom. No, no: I can't--I can't--I can't!" she cried, bursting into an agony of weeping.

"You shall promise no such thing, Jessie--dear cousin," cried Tom, in a manly way, as, extricating himself, he stepped up to her side and tried to take her hand; but she shrank from him and clung to her mother.

"Jessie," he exclaimed, "as I'm a man, I'll be true to you in spite of everything."

"This is your work," cried Max furiously, as he turned to his brother.

"Do you see now what you have done?"

"That was well spoke, Tom, and I never thought better of you than I do now," said d.i.c.k, rousing himself, though his face looked more perplexed than ever. "But I've had enough of this here. You and your father belong to the swells, and I'm a poor working man. You two are ile, and floats on the top--we're only water, and goes to the bottom. But p'r'aps the water's got as much pride in it as the ile; and so's my poor girl, when she's got her bit of sorrow over. You're no match for her."

Max gave a loud, contemptuous laugh, which made Mrs Shingle look up as if she would wither him.

"Not," continued d.i.c.k, "but what she's the best girl in the whole world, though I as her father says it."

d.i.c.k took up his hammer in a helpless, meaningless way, and turned it over and over, examining the handle and the head, and gazed from one to the other, as if asking their opinion about the quality of the tool.