"Well, Rowle," he said, rubbing his hands, "how is it this morning?"

"Foul--foul foul," said Mr Jabez, with a dab at a stop he had missed before. "Those fellows of yours make more literals every day."

"I'm always telling them of it, Rowle, always," said Mr Grimstone, nodding his head sharply. "How does this boy get on?"

"Fairly--fairly," said Mr Rowle, s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g himself round upon his stool, and gazing full in the overseers face. "Now, then, Grimstone, what is it?--what's on the cards?"

"Oh, nothing--nothing. I only looked in. Give me a pinch!"

Mr Rowle handed his little brown box, and Mr Grimstone refreshed himself with a pinch before handing back the snuff to Mr Rowle, who also took a pinch loudly, and with a defiant flourish, while I took up a slip and a pen, and began to practise reading and correcting, a thing Mr Rowle always encouraged.

Grimstone had evidently come in for a gossip, business being rather slack, following a good deal of night-work and the finish of an important order; and after another pinch and an allusion to the political topic of the day, they seemed to forget my presence and went on talking.

"When's the happy day to be?" said Mr Grimstone.

"What, Lister's? Oh, I don't know: soon, I suppose. Seen her?"

"Yes, twice," said Mr Grimstone, giving his lips a smack; "beautiful!"

"So I hear," said Mr Jabez Rowle; "plenty of money too, I suppose."

"50,000 pounds, and more to come. I never had such luck."

"I never wanted it," said Mr Jabez Rowle with a growl. "I don't know why a man should want to tie himself up to a woman."

"Not with 50,000 pounds and more to come, eh?" said Mr Grimstone waggishly.

"Might have tempted me twenty years ago," growled Mr Jabez; "it wouldn't now."

"S'pose not. You're too warm, Rowle--much too warm. I say, though," he continued, lowering his voice, but quite ignoring me, "is a certain person safe?"

"A certain person?"

"Yes, you know. Suppose, for instance, he quietly asked you to let him have 500 pounds for a few months at seven-and-a-half and a bonus, would you, always considering that he soon touches 50,000 pounds and more to come, would you let him have it?"

Mr Jabez took a pinch of snuff furiously, shut the box with a loud snap, and, evidently completely thrown of his guard, exclaimed:

"Hang him for a fool! Curse me if ever I do so again."

"What do you mean?" said Mr Grimstone, milling up, "Do you mean to say I'm a fool?"

"No, no: he is, to go and blab."

"Blab?"

"Yes, to let it out to you."

"I say! What do you mean?" said Mr Grimstone again.

"Mean? Why, you as good as said he told you I had let him have 500 pounds at seven-and-a-half and a bonus. Lent on the strength of his going to marry a woman with 50,000 pounds and more to come."

"I didn't."

"You did."

"Whew!" whistled Mr Grimstone, s.n.a.t.c.hing the snuff-box out of Mr Jabez Rowle's hand, taking a vigorous pinch, and scattering so much of the fine brown dust in the air that I should have had a violent fit of sneezing if I had not become hardened to its effects.

The two stared at one another for a minute, and Mr Jabez now s.n.a.t.c.hed the box back and took a hearty pinch, some of which went on to his shirt-front--and some upon his sleeve.

"Why, you don't mean to say that he has borrowed 500 pounds of you?"

said Mr Grimstone, in a whisper.

"But I do mean to say it," replied Mr Jabez. "How came he to tell you?

I never told a soul."

"He didn't tell me," said Mr Grimstone thoughtfully.

"Then who did?"

"No one."

"Then how came you to know?" said Mr Jabez, pa.s.sing his box. "Why, you don't mean to say he has been to you for five hundred?"

Mr Grimstone nodded.

"And offered you seven-and-a-half, and a bonus of thirty pounds?"

Mr Grimstone nodded again, and this time it was Mr Jabez Rowle's turn to whistle.

"He wanted it done quietly, and I, after a bit, agreed to do it. But though we ain't friends over business matters, Jabez Rowle, I know you to be a man of strong common-sense and integrity, and I thought you would give me a good bit of advice. But this seems to alter the case.

Would you lend it?"

"Humph! Two five hundreds are not much out of fifty thousand," said Mr Jabez; "but what does he want the money for? 'Tain't for the business."

"No," said Mr Grimstone, "because he said he didn't want Mr Ruddle to know. I say, what would you do? I shouldn't like to offend Lister."

"Do? Well, I've lent the money," said Mr Jabez, taking a savage pinch.

"And would you do the same if you were me?" replied Mr Grimstone.

"It's a lot of money; years of savings, you know, and--"

He made some kind of gesticulation, and I fancy he pointed with his thumb over his shoulder at me.

"Look here, Grace," said Mr Rowle, "go downstairs and ask Mr Ruddle to send me up Mr Hendry's letter about his book."

I got down off my stool, and left them together in the gla.s.s case, going straight down to the office, where, in place of Mr Ruddle, I round Mr Lister, and told him my business.

"I don't know where it is," he replied. "I leave it till Mr Ruddle comes in. But look here, Grace, I wanted you. Miss Carr was asking how you got on. Take this note there--you know where she lives--and give it to her herself. But before you go up there take this note to Norfolk Street, Strand. No answer."