"Of course it was."
"Ahem."
Mr. Hinchford cleared his throat with some violence. He did not like this method of receiving his first remarks; it warmed his blood after the old fashion, and, what was better, it cleared off his nervousness.
"One would think that I had got over asking favours of a brother who had proved himself so hard----"
"No," interrupted Geoffry, "not hard--but go on."
"And yet I am here again to ask a second favour, and chance as curt a denial."
"Ah! I did hope, James, that you were here to say "I was in the wrong to take myself off in a huff, because my brother would not let me fling some of his money after my own," or, at least to say, "Glad to see you, Geoffry, and hope to see you more often after this,"--but _favours_!"
"Not for myself, sir," said Mr. Hinchford, hastily; "don"t mistake me--I wouldn"t ask a favour for myself to save my life."
"I would to save a shilling; I often do."
"That is the difference between us," Mr. Hinchford answered.
"Exactly the difference. Pray proceed, Jem."
The younger brother softened at the old appellative; he composed his ruffled feathers, and went at it more submissively.
"Look here, Geoffry, I ask a favour for my son. His firm has dissolved partnership----"
"What firm was it?"
Mr. Hinchford told him.
"Smashed, you mean--bad management somewhere--go on."
"And he, who would have been made partner in his twenty-first birthday, has now to begin the world afresh. I thought that you might know of something suitable for him, and would, remembering our common name, do something for him."
"He"s a tetchy young gentleman--what I remember of him, in a flying visit. Who the deuce can he take after, I wonder?" and the banker appeared to cudgel his brains with his pen, as if lost in perplexity as to any trait in the Hinchfords identical with "tetchiness." The father did not detect the irony--perhaps would not at that juncture.
"Well," said the banker, "what general abilities has he?"
Mr. Hinchford burst forth at once. The wrongs of the past were forgotten; the theme was a pleasant one; the abilities of his son were manifold; he could testify to them for the next two hours, if a patient listener were found him. He launched forth into a list of Sid"s accomplishments, and grew eloquent upon his son"s genius for figures, adaptability for commercial pursuits, his energy, and industry in all things, at all times and seasons.
"This lad ought to be governor of the Bank of England," Geoffry Hinchford broke in with, "there"s nothing suitable for such extraordinary accomplishments here. I can only place him at the bottom of the clerks, with a salary of a hundred and twenty to begin with."
"Geoffry, you"re very kind," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed his brother; "you mean that--you will really do something for us, after all?"
"Why, you vexatious and frivolous old man," cried the banker, exasperated at last, "I would have always helped you in my own way, if you had not been so thoroughly set upon my helping you in yours. You were hot-headed, and I was ill-tempered and _raspish_, and so we quarrelled, and you--you, my only brother--sulked with me for six and twenty years. For shame, sir!"
The banker evinced a little excitement here; he tossed his pen aside and beat his thin fingers on the book; he spoke his mind out, and amazed his brother sitting at a little distance from him.
"Geoffry--I--I didn"t sulk exactly. But you were a rich man, and I was left poor; and if you remember, when I came here last I----"
"If I listen any more to that story, I"m d.a.m.ned!" cried the banker; "it"s dangerous ground, and if we get upon it, we shall begin sparring again. Now, sir--look here."
He stood up, and began laying down the law with the fingers of his right hand in the palm of his left.
"I swallowed my pride by coming to Great Suffolk Street in search of you--that was my turn. We were to sink the past, and be friends, I thought; we two foolish old septuagenarians, with nothing to quarrel about. You swallowed your pride--a larger pill than mine, Jem, for it nearly choked you in the attempt--by coming here, and now it"s your turn--eh?"
He held forth both his hands suddenly towards his brother, who answered the appeal by placing his own within them, and holding them in a nervous trembling grasp.
"Amen!" said the banker; and the younger and weaker man understood what he meant, and felt the tears in his eyes.
"And now, I have heard a great deal of your son--you shall see mine."
He left his brother, touched a hand-bell, and a servant immediately responded.
"Ask Mr. Maurice to step here a moment."
"Yes, sir."
Exit servant; enter very quickly a tall young man of about thirty years of age, fresh-coloured, well formed, with curly brown hair, and a long brown moustache, "making tracks," as the Americans say, for his shoulders.
"Maurice, here"s your obstinate uncle come to see us at last."
"I am glad to see _you_, sir--I think the difference has lasted long enough."
Uncle and nephew shook hands--Mr. Hinchford thought this nephew was a fine young fellow enough--not like his Sid, but a very pa.s.sable and presentable young fellow notwithstanding.
"We"re going to try your cousin as a clerk, Maurice. Any objection?"
"Not in the least," was the ready answer.
"We shall not claim relationship over the ledgers," intimated Geoffry Hinchford; "if he"s clever, he"ll get on--if he"s a fool, he"ll get the sack. And we don"t expect him, after the general fashion of relations, to cry out, "See how my uncle and cousin are serving me, their own flesh and blood, by not lifting me over the heads of the staff, and making my fortune at once!""
"Sid wants no favours, sir," said Mr. Hinchford, sharply.
"After office hours we shall remember that he"s a Hinchford, perhaps,"
said the banker. "Send him when you like, James."
"To-morrow, Geoffry, if you will."
"He"s sure to come, I suppose?" asked his brother. "Is he aware of your visit here to-day?"
"No."
"Ah! then it"s doubtful, I think. By Gad! I shan"t forget in a hurry his sermon to me, and his flourish of trumpets over his own independence."
"He will come, sir, I think."
"Out of place makes a difference," remarked the banker; "we shall see.
And now, what can I do for you, James?"