"He will make no payment that will go into the pocket of Mr. Juniper."
Then Mr. Barry went, and there was weeping and wailing in the house in Bolsover Terrace. So cruel an uncle as Mr. Grey had never been heard of in history, or even in romance. "I know it"s that old cat, Dolly," said Amelia. "Because she hasn"t managed to get a husband for herself, she doesn"t want any one else to get one."
"My poor child," said Mr. Carroll, in a maudlin condition, "I pity thee from the bottom of my heart!"
"I wish that Mr. Barry may be made to marry a hideous old maid past forty," said Georgina.
"I shouldn"t care what they said, but would take him straight off," said Sophie.
Upon this Mrs. Carroll shook her head. "I don"t suppose that he is quite all that he ought to be."
"Who is, I should like to know?" said Amelia.
"But my brother has to give his money according to his judgment." As she said this the poor woman thought of those other five who in process of time might become claimants. But here the whole family attacked her, and almost drove her to confess that her brother was a stingy old curmudgeon.
CHAPTER x.x.xVI.
"GURNEY & MALCOLMSON"S."
In Red Lion Square, on the first floor of a house which partakes of the general dinginess of the neighborhood, there are two rooms which bear on the outside door the well-sounding names of Gurney & Malcolmson; and on the front door to the street are the names of Gurney & Malcolmson, showing that the business transacted by Messrs. Gurney & Malcolmson outweighs in importance any others conducted in the same house. In the first room, which is the smaller of the two occupied, sits usually a lad, who pa.s.ses most of his time in making up and directing circulars, so that a stranger might be led to suppose that the business of Gurney & Malcolmson was of an extended nature.
But on the occasion to which we are about to allude the door of the premises was closed, and the boy was kept on the alert posting, or perhaps delivering, the circulars which were continually issued. This was the place of business affected by Mr. Tyrrwhit, or at any rate one of them. Who were Gurney & Malcolmson it is not necessary that our chronicle should tell. No Gurney or no Malcolmson was then visible; and though a part of the business of the firm in which it is to be supposed that Gurney & Malcolmson were engaged was greatly discussed, their name on the occasion was never mentioned.
A meeting had been called at which the presiding genius was Mr.
Tyrrwhit. You might almost be led to believe that, from the manner in which he made himself at home, Mr. Tyrrwhit was Gurney & Malcolmson. But there was another there who seemed to be almost as much at home as Mr.
Tyrrwhit, and this was Mr. Samuel Hart, whom we last saw when he had unexpectedly made himself known to his friend the captain at Monaco. He had a good deal to say for himself; and as he sat during the meeting with his hat on, it is to be presumed that he was not in awe of his companions. Mr. Juniper also was there. He took a seat at one corner of the table, and did not say much. There was also a man who, in speaking of himself and his own affairs, always called himself Evans & Crooke.
And there was one Spicer, who sat silent for the most part, and looked very fierce. In all matters, however, he appeared to agree with Mr.
Tyrrwhit. He is especially named, as his interest in the matter discussed was large. There were three or four others, whose affairs were of less moment, though to them they were of intense interest. These gentlemen a.s.sembled were they who had advanced money to Captain Scarborough, and this was the meeting of the captain"s creditors, at which they were to decide whether they were to give up their bonds on payment of the sums they had actually advanced, or whether they would stand out till the old squire"s death, and then go to law with the owner of the estate.
At the moment at which we may be presumed to be introduced, Mr. Tyrrwhit had explained the matter in a nervous, hesitating manner, but still in words sufficiently clear. "There"s the money down now if you like to take it, and I"m for taking it." These were the words with which Mr.
Tyrrwhit completed his address.
"Circ.u.mstances is different," said the man with his hat on.
"I don"t know much about that, Mr. Hart," said Tyrrwhit.
"Circ.u.mstances is different. I can"t "elp whether you know it or not."
"How different?"
"They is different,--and that"s all about it. It"ll perhaps shuit you and them other shentlemen to take a pershentage."
"It won"t suit Evans & Crooke," said the man who represented that firm.
"But perhaps Messrs. Evans & Crooke may be willing to save so much of their property," said Mr. Tyrrwhit.
"They"d like to have what"s due to "em."
"We should all like that," said Spicer, and he gnashed his teeth and shook his head.
"But we can"t get it all," said Tyrrwhit.
"Speak for yourself, Mr. Tyrrwhit," said Hart. "I think I can get mine.
This is the most almighty abandoned swindle I ever met in all my born days." The whole meeting, except Mr. Tyrrwhit, received this a.s.sertion with loudly expressed applause. "Such a blackguard, dirty, thieving job never was up before in my time. I don"t know "ow to talk of it in language as a man isn"t ashamed to commit himself to. It"s downright robbery."
"I say so too," said Evans & Crooke.
"By George!" continued Mr. Hart, "we come forward to "elp a shentleman in his trouble and to wait for our moneys till the father is dead, and then when "e"s "ad our moneys the father turns round and says that "is own son is a--Oh, it"s too shocking! I "aven"t slept since I "eard it,--not a regular night"s rest. Now, it"s my belief the captain "as no "and in it."
Here Mr. Juniper scratched his head and looked doubtful, and one or two of the other silent gentlemen scratched their heads. Messrs. Evans & Crooke scratched his head. "It"s a matter on which I would not like to give an opinion one way or the other," said Tyrrwhit.
"No more wouldn"t I," said Spicer.
"Let every man speak as he finds," continued Hart. "That"s my belief. I don"t mind giving up a little of my claim, just a thousand or so, for ready cash. The old sinner ought to be dead, and can"t last long. My belief is when "e"s gone I"m so circ.u.mstanced I shall get the whole.
Whether or no, I"ve gone in for "elping the captain with all my savings, and I mean to stick to them."
"And lose everything," said Tyrrwhit.
"Why don"t we go and lug the old sinner into prison?" said Evans & Crooke.
"Certainly that"s the game," said Juniper, and there was another loud acclamation of applause from the entire room.
"Gentlemen, you don"t know what you"re talking about, you don"t indeed,"
said Tyrrwhit.
"I don"t believe as we do," said Spicer.
"You can"t touch the old gentleman. He owes you nothing, nor have you a scratch of his pen. How are you to lug an old gentleman to prison when he"s lying there cut up by the doctors almost to nothing? I don"t know that anybody can touch him. The captain perhaps might, if the present story be false; and the younger son, if the other be true. And then they"d have to prove it. Mr. Grey says that no one can touch him."
"He"s in the swim as bad as any of "em," said Evans & Crooke.
"Of course he is," said Hart. "But let everybody speak for himself. I"ve gone in to "earn a "eavy stake honestly."
"That"s all right," said Evans & Crooke.
"And I mean to "ave it or nothing. Now, Mr. Tyrrwhit, you know a piece of my mind. It"s a biggish lot of money."
"We know what your claim is."
"But no man knows what the captain got, and I don"t mean "em to know."
"About fifteen thousand," came in a whisper from some one in the room.
"That"s a lie," said Mr. Hart; "so there"s no getting out of that. If the shentleman will mind "is own concerns I"ll mind mine. n.o.body knows,--barring the captain, and he like enough has forgot,--and n.o.body"s going to know. What"s written on these eight bits of paper everybody may know," and he pulled out of a large case or purse, which he carried in his breast coat-pocket, a fat sheaf of bills. "There are five thou"
written on each of them, and for five thou" on each of them I means to stand out. "It or miss. If any shentleman chooses to talk to me about ready money I"ll take two thou" off. I like ready money as well as another."