"I haven"t looked at the newspaper, sir, since--"
"Since the festive occasion," suggested aeolus.
"Oh, Sir Boreas--"
"Well, Mr. Crocker; what is it that you have to say for yourself?"
"I did dine with a few friends."
"And kept it up tolerably late, I should think."
"And then afterwards went to a tea-party," said Crocker.
"A tea-party!"
"It was not all tea," said Crocker, with a whine.
"I should think not. There was a good deal besides tea, I should say." Then the G.o.d left off to smile, and the blasts began to blow.
"Now, Mr. Crocker, I should like to know what you think of yourself.
After having read the accounts of your appearance before the magistrate in two newspapers, I suppose I may take it for granted that you were abominably drunk out in the streets on Wednesday night." It is very hard for a young man to have to admit under any circ.u.mstances that he has been abominably drunk out in the streets;--so that Crocker stood dumb before his accuser. "I choose to have an answer, sir. I must either have your own acknowledgment, or must have an official account from the police magistrate."
"I had taken something, sir."
"Were you drunk? If you will not answer me you had better go, and I shall know how to deal with you." Crocker thought that he had perhaps better go and leave the G.o.d to deal with him. He remained quite silent. "Your personal habits would be nothing to me, sir," continued aeolus, "if you were able to do your work and did not bring disgrace on the department. But you neglect the office. You are unable to do your work. And you do bring disgrace on the department. How long is it since you remained away a day before?"
"I was detained down in c.u.mberland for one day, after my leave of absence."
"Detained in c.u.mberland! I never tell a gentleman, Mr. Crocker, that I do not believe him,--never. If it comes to that with a gentleman, he must go." This was hard to bear; but yet Crocker was aware that he had told a fib on that occasion in reference to the day"s hunting.
Then Sir Boreas took up his pen and again had recourse to his paper, as though the interview was over. Crocker remained standing, not quite knowing what he was expected to do. "It"s of no use your remaining there," said Sir Boreas. Whereupon Crocker retired, and, with his tail still between his legs, returned to his own desk.
Soon afterwards Mr. Jerningham was sent for, and came back with an intimation that Mr. Crocker"s services were no longer required, at any rate for that day. When the matter had been properly represented to the Postmaster-General, a letter would be written to him. The impression made on the minds of Bobbin and Geraghty was that poor Crocker would certainly be dismissed on this occasion. Roden, too, thought that it was now over with the unfortunate young man, as far as the Queen"s service was concerned, and could not abstain from shaking hands with the unhappy wretch as he bade them all a melancholy good-bye. "Good afternoon," said Mr. Jerningham to him severely, not condescending to shake hands with him at all.
But Mr. Jerningham heard the last words which the G.o.d had spoken on the subject, and was not therefore called upon to be specially soft-hearted. "I never saw a poor devil look so sick in my life,"
aeolus had said.
"He must have been very bad, Sir Boreas."
aeolus was fond of a good dinner himself, and had a sympathy for convivial offences. Indeed for all offences he had a sympathy. No man less p.r.o.ne to punish ever lived. But what is a man to do with inveterate offenders? aeolus would tear his hair sometimes in dismay because he knew that he was retaining in the service men whom he would have been bound to get rid of had he done his duty. "You had better tell him to go home," said aeolus,--"for to-day, you know."
"And what then, Sir Boreas?"
"I suppose he"ll sleep it off by to-morrow. Have a letter written to him,--to frighten him, you know. After all, New Year"s Day only does come once a year." Mr. Jerningham, having thus received instructions, went back to his room and dismissed Crocker in the way we have seen.
As soon as Crocker"s back was turned Roden was desired to write the letter.
SIR,
Your conduct in absenting yourself without leave from the office yesterday is of such a nature as to make it necessary for me to inform you, that should it be repeated I shall have no alternative but to bring your name under the serious consideration of my Lord the Postmaster-General.
I am, sir, Your obedient servant,
(Signed) BOREAS BODKIN.
In the same envelope was a short note from one of his brother clerks.
DEAR CROCKER,
You had better be here sharp at ten to-morrow. Mr.
Jerningham bids me tell you.
Yours truly,
BART. BOBBIN.
Thus Crocker got through his troubles on this occasion.
CHAPTER IX.
MISS DEMIJOHN"S INGENUITY.
On the day on which Crocker was going through his purgatory at the Post Office, a letter reached Lady Kingsbury at Trafford Park, which added much to the troubles and annoyances felt by different members of the family there. It was an anonymous letter, and the reader,--who in regard to such mysteries should never be kept a moment in ignorance,--may as well be told at once that the letter was written by that enterprising young lady, Miss Demijohn. The letter was written on New Year"s Day, after the party,--perhaps in consequence of the party, as the rash doings of some of the younger members of the Trafford family were made specially obvious to Miss Demijohn by what was said on that occasion. The letter ran as follows:
MY LADY MARCHIONESS--
I conceive it to be my duty as a well-wisher of the family to inform you that your stepson, Lord Hampstead, has become entangled in what I think to be a dangerous way with a young woman living in a neighbouring street to this.
The "neighbouring" street was of course a stroke of cunning on the part of Miss Demijohn.
She lives at No. 17, Paradise Row, Holloway, and her name is Marion Fay. She is daughter to an old Quaker, who is clerk to Pogson and Littlebird, King"s Court, Great Broad Street, and isn"t of course in any position to entertain such hopes as these. He may have a little money saved, but what"s that to the likes of your ladyship and his lordship the Marquis? Some think she is pretty. I don"t. Now I don"t like such cunning ways. Of what I tell your ladyship there isn"t any manner of doubt. His lordship was there for hours the other day, and the girl is going about as proud as a peac.o.c.k.
It"s what I call a regular Paradise Row conspiracy, and though the Quaker has lent himself to it, he ain"t at the bottom. Next door but two to the Fays there is a Mrs.
Roden living, who has got a son, a stuck-up fellow and a clerk in the Post Office. I believe there isn"t a bit of doubt but he has been and got himself engaged to another of your ladyship"s n.o.ble family. As to that, all Holloway is talking of it. I don"t believe there is a "bus driver up and down the road as doesn"t know it. It"s my belief that Mrs. Roden is the doing of it all! She has taken Marion Fay by the hand just as though she were her own, and now she has got the young lord and the young lady right into her mashes. If none of "em isn"t married yet it won"t be long so unless somebody interferes. If you don"t believe me do you send to the "d.u.c.h.ess of Edinburgh" at the corner, and you"ll find that they know all about it.
Now, my Lady Marchioness, I"ve thought it my duty to tell you all this because I don"t like to see a n.o.ble family put upon. There isn"t nothing for me to get out of it myself. But I do it just as one of the family"s well-wishers. Therefore I sign myself your very respectful,
A WELL-WISHER.
The young lady had told her story completely as far as her object was concerned, which was simply that of making mischief. But the business of anonymous letter-writing was one not new to her hand. It is easy, and offers considerable excitement to the minds of those whose time hangs heavy on their hands.