He obtained some particular information, and returning to the Bank, was called before his uncle, who curtly reckoned up his merits in a contemptuous rebuke, and confirmed him in his resolution to incur this sort of thing no longer. In consequence, he promised Sir William that he would amend his ways, and these were the first hopeful words that Sir William had ever heard from him.
Algernon"s design was to dress, that evening, in the uniform of society, so that, in the event of his meeting Harry Latters, he might a.s.sure him he was coming to his Club, and had been compelled to dine elsewhere with his uncle, or anybody. When he reached the door of his chambers, a man was standing there, who said,--
"Mr. Algernon Blancove?"
"Yes," Algernon prolonged an affirmative, to diminish the confidence it might inspire, if possible.
"May I speak with you, sir?"
Algernon told him to follow in. The man was tall and large-featured, with an immense blank expression of face.
"I"ve come from Mr. Samuels, sir," he said, deferentially.
Mr. Samuels was Algernon"s chief jeweller.
"Oh," Algernon remarked. "Well, I don"t want anything; and let me say, I don"t approve of this touting for custom. I thought Mr. Samuels was above it."
The man bowed. "My business is not that, sir. Ahem! I dare say you remember an opal you had from our house. It was set in a necklace."
"All right; I remember it, perfectly," said Algernon; cool, but not of the collected colour.
"The cost of it was fifty-five pounds, sir."
"Was it? Well, I"ve forgotten."
"We find that it has been p.a.w.ned for five-and-twenty."
"A little less than half," said Algernon. "p.a.w.nbrokers are simply cheats."
"They mayn"t be worse than others," the man observed.
Algernon was exactly in the position where righteous anger is the proper weapon, if not the sole resource. He flushed, but was not sure of his opportunity for the explosion. The man read the flush.
"May I ask you, did you p.a.w.n it, sir? I"m obliged to ask the question."
"I?--I really don"t--I don"t choose to answer impudent questions. What do you mean by coming here?"
"I may as well be open with you, sir, to prevent misunderstandings. One of the young men was present when you p.a.w.ned it. He saw the thing done."
"Suppose he did?"
"He would be a witness."
"Against me? I"ve dealt with Samuels for three-four years."
"Yes, sir; but you have never yet paid any account; and I believe I am right in saying that this opal is not the first thing coming from our house that has been pledged--I can"t say you did it on the other occasions."
"You had better not," rejoined Algernon.
He broke an unpleasant silence by asking, "What further?"
"My master has sent you his bill."
Algernon glanced at the prodigious figures.
"Five hun--!" he gasped, recoiling; and added, "Well, I can"t pay it on the spot."
"Let me tell you, you"re liable to proceedings you"d better avoid, sir, for the sake of your relations."
"You dare to threaten to expose me to my relatives?" Algernon said haughtily, and immediately perceived that indignation at this point was a clever stroke; for the man, while deprecating the idea of doing so, showed his more established belief in the possible virtue of such a threat.
"Not at all, sir; but you know that pledging things not paid for is illegal, and subject to penalties. No tradesman likes it; they can"t allow it. I may as well let you know that Mr. Samuels--"
"There, stop!" cried Algernon, laughing, as he thought, heartily. "Mr.
Samuels is a very tolerable Jew; but he doesn"t seem to understand dealing with gentlemen. Pressure comes;" he waved his hand swimmingly; "one wants money, and gets it how one can. Mr. Samuels shall not go to bed thinking he has been defrauded. I will teach Mr. Samuels to think better of us Gentiles. Write me a receipt."
"For what amount, sir?" said the man, briskly.
"For the value of the opal--that is to say, for the value put upon it by Mr. Samuels. Con! hang! never mind. Write the receipt."
He cast a fluttering fifty and a fluttering five on the table, and pushed paper to the man for a receipt.
The man reflected, and refused to take them.
"I don"t think, sir," he said, "that less than two-thirds of the bill will make Mr. Samuels easy. You see, this opal was in a necklace. It wasn"t like a ring you might have taken off your finger. It"s a lady"s ornament; and soon after you obtain it from us; you make use of it by turning it into cash. It"s a case for a criminal prosecution, which, for the sake of your relations, Mr. Samuels wouldn"t willingly bring on.
The criminal box is no place for you, sir; but Mr. Samuels must have his own. His mind is not easy. I shouldn"t like, sir, to call a policeman."
"Hey!" shouted Algernon; "you"d have to get a warrant."
"It"s out, sir."
Though inclined toward small villanies, he had not studied law, and judging from his own affrighted sensations, and the man"s impa.s.sive face, Algernon supposed that warrants were as lightly granted as writs of summons.
He tightened his muscles. In his time he had talked glibly of Perdition; but this was hot experience. He and the man measured the force of their eyes. Algernon let his chest fall.
"Do you mean?" he murmured.
"Why, sir, it"s no use doing things by halves. When a tradesman says he must have his money, he takes his precautions."
"Are you in Mr. Samuels" shop?"
"Not exactly, sir."
"You"re a detective?"
"I have been in the service, sir."
"Ah! now I understand." Algernon raised his head with a strain at haughtiness. "If Mr. Samuels had accompanied you, I would have discharged the debt: It"s only fair that I should insist upon having a receipt from him personally, and for the whole amount."