support your ixtravygance--you come upon me to pay your detts! No,
sir, it is quite enough that your mother should go on the parish,
and that your wife should sweep the streets, to which you have
indeed brought them; I, at least, though cheated by you of a large
summ, and obliged to pass my days in comparative ruin, can retire,
and have some of the comforts to which my rank entitles me. The
furnitur in this house is mine; and as I presume you intend YOUR
LADY to sleep in the streets, I give you warning that I shall
remove it all tomorrow.
"Mr. Smithers will tell you that I had intended to leave you my
intire fortune. I have this morning, in his presents, solamly toar
up my will; and hereby renounce all connection with you and your
beggarly family.
"SUSAN HOGGARTY.
"P.S.--I took a viper into my bosom, AND IT STUNG ME."
I confess that, on the first reading of this letter, I was in such
a fury that I forgot almost the painful situation in which it
plunged me, and the ruin hanging over me.
"What a fool you were, Titmarsh, to write that letter!" said Mr.
Smithers. "You have cut your own throat, sir,--lost a fine
property,--written yourself out of five hundred a year. Mrs.
Hoggarty, my client, brought the will, as she says, downstairs, and
flung it into the fire before our faces."
"It's a blessing that your wife was from home," added Gus. "She
went to church this morning with Dr. Salt's family, and sent word
that she would spend the day with them. She was always glad to be
away from Mrs. H., you know."
"She never knew on which side her bread was buttered," said Mr.
Smithers. "You should have taken the lady when she was in the
humour, sir, and have borrowed the money elsewhere. Why, sir, I
had almost reconciled her to her loss in that cursed Company. I
showed her how I had saved out of Brough's claws the whole of her
remaining fortune; which he would have devoured in a day, the
scoundrel! And if you would have left the matter to me, Mr.
Titmarsh, I would have had you reconciled completely to Mrs.
Hoggarty; I would have removed all your difficulties; I would have
lent you the pitiful sum of money myself."
"Will you?" says Gus; "that's a trump!" and he seized Smithers's
hand, and squeezed it so that the tears came into the attorney's
eyes.
"Generous fellow!" said I; "lend me money, when you know what a
situation I am in, and not able to pay!"
"Ay, my good sir, there's the rub!" says Mr. Smithers. "I said I
WOULD have lent the money; and so to the acknowledged heir of Mrs.
Hoggarty I would--would at this moment; for nothing delights the
heart of Bob Smithers more than to do a kindness. I would have
rejoiced in doing it; and a mere acknowledgment from that respected
lady would have amply sufficed. But now, sir, the case is
altered,--you have no security to offer, as you justly observe."
"Not a whit, certainly."
"And without security, sir, of course can expect no money--of
course not. You are a man of the world, Mr. Titmarsh, and I see
our notions exactly agree."
"There's his wife's property," says Gus.
"Wife's property? Bah! Mrs. Sam Titmarsh is a minor, and can't
touch a shilling of it. No, no, no meddling with minors for me!
But stop!--your mother has a house and shop in our village. Get me
a mortgage of that--"
"I'll do no such thing, sir," says I. "My mother has suffered
quite enough on my score already, and has my sisters to provide
for; and I will thank you, Mr. Smithers, not to breathe a syllable
to her regarding my present situation."
"You speak like a man of honour, sir," says Mr. Smithers, "and I
will obey your injunctions to the letter. I will do more, sir. I
will introduce you to a respectable firm here, my worthy friends,
Messrs. Higgs, Biggs, and Blatherwick, who will do everything in
their power to serve you. And so, sir, I wish you a very good
morning."
And with this Mr. Smithers took his hat and left the room; and
after a further consultation with my aunt, as I heard afterwards,
quitted London that evening by the mail.
I sent my faithful Gus off once more to break the matter gently to
my wife, fearing lest Mrs. Hoggarty should speak of it abruptly to
her; as I knew in her anger she would do. But he came in an hour
panting back, to say that Mrs. H. had packed and locked her trunks,
and had gone off in a hackney-coach. So, knowing that my poor Mary
was not to return till night, Hoskins remained with me till then;
and, after a dismal day, left me once more at nine, to carry the
dismal tidings to her.
At ten o'clock on that night there was a great rattling and ringing
at the outer door, and presently my poor girl fell into my arms;
and Gus Hoskins sat blubbering in a corner, as I tried my best to
console her.
* * *
The next morning I was favoured with a visit from Mr. Blatherwick;
who, hearing from me that I had only three guineas in my pocket,
told me very plainly that lawyers only lived by fees. He
recommended me to quit Cursitor Street, as living there was very
expensive. And as I was sitting very sad, my wife made her
appearance (it was with great difficulty that she could be brought
to leave me the night previous) -
"The horrible men came at four this morning," said she; "four hours
before light."
"What horrible men?" says I.
"Your aunt's men," said she, "to remove the furniture they had it
all packed before I came away. And I let them carry all," said
she; "I was too sad to look what was ours and what was not. That
odious Mr. Wapshot was with them; and I left him seeing the last
waggon-load from the door. I have only brought away your clothes,"
added she, "and a few of mine; and some of the books you used to
like to read; and some--some things I have been getting for the--
for the baby. The servants' wages were paid up to Christmas; and I
paid them the rest. And see! just as I was going away, the post
came, and brought to me my half-year's income--35L., dear Sam.
Isn't it a blessing?"
"Will you pay my bill, Mr. What-d'ye-call-'im?" here cried Mr.
Aminadab, flinging open the door (he had been consulting with Mr.
Blatherwick, I suppose). "I want the room for A GENTLEMAN. I
guess it's too dear for the like of you." And here--will you
believe it?--the man handed me a bill of three guineas for two
days' board and lodging in his odious house.
* * *
There was a crowd of idlers round the door as I passed out of it,
and had I been alone I should have been ashamed of seeing them;
but, as it was, I was only thinking of my dear dear wife, who was
leaning trustfully on my arm, and smiling like heaven into my face-
-ay, and TOOK heaven, too, into the Fleet prison with me--or an
angel out of heaven. Ah! I had loved her before, and happy it is
to love when one is hopeful and young in the midst of smiles
and
sunshine; but be UNhappy, and then see what it is to be loved by a
good woman! I declare before Heaven, that of all the joys and
happy moments it has given me, that was the crowning one--that
little ride, with my wife's cheek on my shoulder, down Holborn to
the prison! Do you think I cared for the bailiff that sat
opposite? No, by the Lord! I kissed her, and hugged her--yes, and
cried with her likewise. But before our ride was over her eyes
dried up, and she stepped blushing and happy out of the coach at
the prison door, as if she were a princess going to the Queen's
Drawing-room.
CHAPTER XII
IN WHICH THE HERO'S AUNT'S DIAMOND MAKES ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE
HERO'S UNCLE
The failure of the great Diddlesex Association speedily became the
theme of all the newspapers, and every person concerned in it was
soon held up to public abhorrence as a rascal and a swindler. It
was said that Brough had gone off with a million of money. Even it
was hinted that poor I had sent a hundred thousand pounds to
America, and only waited to pass through the court in order to be a
rich man for the rest of my days. This opinion had some supporters
in the prison; where, strange to say, it procured me consideration-
-of which, as may be supposed, I was little inclined to avail
myself. Mr. Aminadab, however, in his frequent visits to the
Fleet, persisted in saying that I was a poor-spirited creature, a
mere tool in Brough's hands, and had not saved a shilling.
Opinions, however, differed; and I believe it was considered by the
turnkeys that I was a fellow of exquisite dissimulation, who had
put on the appearance of poverty in order more effectually to
mislead the public.
Messrs. Abednego and Son were similarly held up to public odium:
and, in fact, what were the exact dealings of these gentlemen with
Mr. Brough I have never been able to learn. It was proved by the
books that large sums of money had been paid to Mr. Abednego by the
Company; but he produced documents signed by Mr. Brough, which made
the latter and the West Diddlesex Association his debtors to a
still further amount. On the day I went to the Bankruptcy Court to
be examined, Mr. Abednego and the two gentlemen from Houndsditch
were present to swear to their debts, and made a sad noise, and
uttered a vast number of oaths in attestation of their claim. But
Messrs. Jackson and Paxton produced against them that very Irish
porter who was said to have been the cause of the fire, and, I am
told, hinted that they had matter for hanging the Jewish gents if
they persisted in their demand. On this they disappeared
altogether, and no more was ever heard of their losses. I am
inclined to believe that our Director had had money from Abednego--
had given him shares as bonus and security--had been suddenly
obliged to redeem these shares with ready money; and so had
precipitated the ruin of himself and the concern. It is needless
to say here in what a multiplicity of companies Brough was engaged.
That in which poor Mr. Tidd invested his money did not pay 2D. in
the pound; and that was the largest dividend paid by any of them.
As for ours--ah! there was a pretty scene as I was brought from the
Fleet to the Bankruptcy Court, to give my testimony as late head
clerk and accountant of the West Diddlesex Association.
My poor wife, then very near her time, insisted upon accompanying
me to Basinghall Street; and so did my friend Gus Hoskins, that
true and honest fellow. If you had seen the crowd that was
assembled, and the hubbub that was made as I was brought up!
"Mr. Titmarsh," says the Commissioner as I came to the table, with
a peculiar sarcastic accent on the Tit--"Mr. Titmarsh, you were the
confidant of Mr. Brough, the principal clerk of Mr. Brough, and a
considerable shareholder in the Company?"
"Only a nominal one, sir," said I.
"Of course, only nominal," continued the Commissioner, turning to
his colleague with a sneer; "and a great comfort it must be to you,
sir, to think that you had a share in all the plun--the profits of
the speculation, and now can free yourself from the losses, by
saying you are only a nominal shareholder."
"The infernal villain!" shouted out a voice from the crowd. It was
that of the furious half-pay captain and late shareholder, Captain
Sparr.
"Silence in the court there!" the Commissioner continued: and all
this while Mary was anxiously looking in his face, and then in
mine, as pale as death; while Gus, on the contrary, was as red as
vermilion. "Mr. Titmarsh, I have had the good fortune to see a
list of your debts from the Insolvent Court, and find that you are
indebted to Mr. Stiltz, the great tailor, in a handsome sum; to Mr.
Polonius, the celebrated jeweller, likewise; to fashionable
milliners and dressmakers, moreover;--and all this upon a salary of
200L. per annum. For so young a gentleman it must be confessed you
have employed your time well."
"Has this anything to do with the question, sir?" says I. "Am I
here to give an account of my private debts, or to speak as to what
I know regarding the affairs of the Company? As for my share in
it, I have a mother, sir, and many sisters--"
"The d-d scoundrel!" shouts the Captain.
"Silence that there fellow!" shouts Gus, as bold as brass; at which
the court burst out laughing, and this gave me courage to proceed.
"My mother, sir, four years since, having a legacy of 400L. left to
her, advised with her solicitor, Mr. Smithers, how she should
dispose of this sum; and as the Independent West Diddlesex was just
then established, the money was placed in an annuity in that
office, where I procured a clerkship. You may suppose me a very
hardened criminal, because I have ordered clothes of Mr. Von
Stiltz; but you will hardly fancy that I, a lad of nineteen, knew
anything of the concerns of the Company into whose service I
entered as twentieth clerk, my own mother's money paying, as it
were, for my place. Well, sir, the interest offered by the Company
was so tempting, that a rich relative of mine was induced to
purchase a number of shares."
"Who induced your relative, if I may make so bold as to inquire?"
"I can't help owning, sir," says I, blushing, "that I wrote a
letter myself. But consider, my relative was sixty years old, and
I was twenty-one. My relative took several months to consider, and
had the advice of her lawyers before she acceded to my request.
And I made it at the instigation of Mr. Brough, who dictated the
letter which I wrote, and who I really thought then was as rich as
Mr. Rothschild himself."
"Your friend placed her money in your name; and you, if I mistake
not, Mr. Titmarsh, were suddenly placed over the heads of twelve of
your fellow-clerks as a reward for your service in obtaining it?"
"It is very true, sir,"--and, as I confessed it, poor Mary began to
wipe her eyes, and Gus's ears (I could n
ot see his face) looked
like two red-hot muffins--"it's quite true, sir; and, as matters
have turned out, I am heartily sorry for what I did. But at the
time I thought I could serve my aunt as well as myself; and you
must remember, then, how high our shares were."
"Well, sir, having procured this sum of money, you were straightway
taken into Mr. Brough's confidence. You were received into his
house, and from third clerk speedily became head clerk; in which
post you were found at the disappearance of your worthy patron!"
"Sir, you have no right to question me, to be sure; but here are a
hundred of our shareholders, and I'm not unwilling to make a clean
breast of it," said I, pressing Mary's hand. "I certainly was the
head clerk. And why? Because the other gents left the office. I
certainly was received into Mr. Brough's house. And why? Because,
sir, my aunt HAD MORE MONEY TO LAY OUT. I see it all clearly now,
though I could not understand it then; and the proof that Mr.
Brough wanted my aunt's money, and not me, is that, when she came
to town, our Director carried her by force out of my house to
Fulham, and never so much as thought of asking me or my wife
thither. Ay, sir, and he would have had her remaining money, had
not her lawyer from the country prevented her disposing of it.
Before the concern finally broke, and as soon as she heard there
was doubt concerning it, she took back her shares--scrip shares
they were, sir, as you know--and has disposed of them as she
thought fit. Here, sir, and gents," says I, "you have the whole of
the history as far as regards me. In order to get her only son a
means of livelihood, my mother placed her little money with the
Company--it is lost. My aunt invested larger sums with it, which
were to have been mine one day, and they are lost too; and here am
I, at the end of four years, a disgraced and ruined man. Is there
anyone present, however much he has suffered by the failure of the
Company, that has had worse fortune through it than I?"
"Mr. Titmarsh," says Mr. Commissioner, in a much more friendly way,
and at the same time casting a glance at a newspaper reporter that
was sitting hard by, "your story is not likely to get into the
newspapers; for, as you say, it is a private affair, which you had
no need to speak of unless you thought proper, and may be
considered as a confidential conversation between us and the other
gentlemen here. But if it COULD be made public, it might do some
good, and warn people, if they WILL be warned, against the folly of
such enterprises as that in which you have been engaged. It is
quite clear from your story, that you have been deceived as grossly
as anyone of the persons present. But look you, sir, if you had
not been so eager after gain, I think you would not have allowed
yourself to be deceived, and would have kept your relative's money,
and inherited it, according to your story, one day or other.
Directly people expect to make a large interest, their judgment
seems to desert them; and because they wish for profit, they think
they are sure of it, and disregard all warnings and all prudence.
Besides the hundreds of honest families who have been ruined by
merely placing confidence in this Association of yours, and who
deserve the heartiest pity, there are hundreds more who have
embarked in it, like yourself, not for investment, but for
speculation; and these, upon my word, deserve the fate they have
met with. As long as dividends are paid, no questions are asked;
and Mr. Brough might have taken the money for his shareholders on
the high-road, and they would have pocketed it, and not been too
curious. But what's the use of talking?" says Mr. Commissioner, in
a passion: "here is one rogue detected, and a thousand dupes made;
and if another swindler starts to-morrow, there will be a thousand
more of his victims round this table a year hence; and so, I