The Story of Antony Grace Part 81

"And has Mr Lister quite gone from the firm?"

"Oh, yes, quite, my lad. He was up to his eyes in debt, and when he didn't marry that girl, and get her money to pay himself off clear, he went smash at once. Lucky escape for her. I'm afraid he was a bad one."

"And what is he doing now?"

"What, Lister? Set up a rival shop on borrowed money; doing all he can to cut down his old partner, but he'll do no good. Can't get on.

Hasn't got a man on the premises who can read."

"Indeed!" I said.

"Not a soul, Grace. Why, you wouldn't believe it, my lad," he continued, tapping me in the shirt-front with his snuff-box, "but I had one of their Chancery-bills in the other day--big quarto, you know, pica type--and there were two turned _n's_ for _u's_ in the second page."

"Never?" I said, to humour him.

"Fact, sir, fact," he said, taking another pinch of snuff and snapping his fingers triumphantly. "Why, I'd hardly forgive that in a daily paper where there's a rush on, and it's got up in the night; but in a thing like a Chancery-bill it's inexcusable. Well, now about yourself, Grace. I'm glad you are getting on, boy. Never mind what I said; it's better than being a reader, and growing into a snuffy cantankerous old scarecrow like me. Read your stick well, my boy, and I hope--no, I'm sure you'll get on. But I say, what will you have to eat?"

"I'm not hungry, Mr Jabez," I said; "and, look here, I haven't delivered my message to you."

"Message? To me?"

"Yes, sir. Miss Carr wished me to ask you if you would come and dine with her to-morrow."

"Me? Dine with Miss Carr--Carr--Carr? Why, that's the girl Lister was to have married."

"Yes--Miss Carr," I said.

"But me dine with her! Why, she hasn't fallen in love with me now, has she?"

"Oh no," I said, laughing. "She wants to see you on business."

"See me on business? why, Grace," he said excitedly, "I was to be paid my five hundred out of her money, and wasn't paid. Is she repenting, and going to give it to me?"

"No," I said; "I don't think it's that."

"No, of course not," he said thoughtfully. "Couldn't take it if were.

What does she want, then? Do you know?"

I nodded.

"What is it, then?"

"I am in Miss Carr's confidence," I said; "and I do not feel at liberty to speak about the matter till after you have seen her."

"Let me see," said the old man; "she's very pretty, isn't she?"

"Beautiful?" I exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Humph! Then I don't think I shall go, Grace."

"Not go? Why not?"

"These handsome women can wheedle a man out of anything. I've lost five hundred over Lister, and I don't want to be wheedled out of any more."

"You needn't be afraid, Mr Jabez," I said, laughing.

"Think not?"

"I'm sure not. Miss Carr wants to advance some money to help some one."

"Well, then, let her do it."

"She cannot well do it herself, and she asked me if I knew anyone, and I named you."

"Hang your impudence, then," he said, taking snuff fiercely. "You know I was fool enough to advance money to Lister, so you recommend me as an easy one to do it again."

"No, no, Mr Jabez; you don't understand me," I said, laughing. "Miss Carr wishes to find the money, but she wants it to seem as if it came through you."

"Oh!"

Here he refreshed himself with his snuff, looking at me suspiciously the while.

"Look here, young Grace," he said; "I'm not fond of doing things in the dark; so, as we are old friends, suppose you make a clean breast of what all this means. You know, I suppose?"

"Yes, I know everything," I replied.

"Well, then, out with it."

"That I cannot do without being guilty of a breach of confidence, Mr Rowle," I replied. "If you will come up to Miss Carr's to-morrow evening at half-past six, you may be sure of a warm welcome, and I shall be there to meet you."

"Phee-ew!" he whistled, "how fine we have got to be, Grace. Do we dine late every day, sir?"

"No; nonsense," I said, laughing. "Miss Carr is very kind to me, though: and she wished me to be there to meet you."

"Well, but, Grace, you know," said the old man, "I'm such a queer, rough sort of a fellow. I'm not used to that sort of thing. I've read about it often enough; but I suppose--oh, you know, I couldn't come?"

"I shall tell Miss Carr you will," I said, rising; and after a few more words, the old man promised, and I went away.

CHAPTER FORTY NINE.

MR JABEZ UNDERTAKES A COMMISSION.

Mr Jabez was got up wonderfully for his visit to Miss Carr. His white waistcoat might have been carved in marble, and his white cravat was the stiffest ever made; but there was a good deal of the natural gentleman in the old man, and he took Miss Carr down to dinner with all the ceremony of the old school.

Everything was expressly arranged to be very simple, and in a very few minutes Mr Jabez was quite at his ease, while after a gla.s.s of sherry the old man became pleasantly chatty, and full of anecdote, but always treating his hostess with the most chivalrous respect, making a point of rising to open the door for her when she quitted the room, and we were supposed to be left to our wine.

"Hah, Grace," he said, coming back to the table, and taking a long pinch of snuff; "now I feel a man again. I'll just have three more pinches, and then we'll go upstairs to that angel. Good heavens!"