第149章

`Thirty-seven pound ten and sixpence. The Savings' Bank said so at least.

I never counted it. But they know, bless you!' said Mark with a shake of the head expressive of his unbounded confidence in the wisdom and arithmetic of those Institutions.

`The money we brought with us,' said Martin, `is reduced to a few shillings less than eight pounds.'

Mr. Tapley smiled, and looked all manner of ways, that he might not be supposed to attach any importance to this fact.

`Upon the ring-- her ring, Mark,' said Martin, looking ruefully at his empty finger--

`Ah!' sighed Mr. Tapley. `Beg your pardon, sir.'

`--We raised, in English money, fourteen pounds. So, even with that, your share of the stock is still very much the larger of the two you see.

Now, Mark,' said Martin, in his old way, just as he might have spoken to Tom Pinch, `I have thought of a means of making this up to you, more than making it up to you, I hope, and very materially elevating your prospects in life.'

`Oh! don't talk of that, you know, sir,' returned Mark. `I don't want no elevating, sir. I'm all right enough, sir, I am.'

`No, but hear me,' said Martin, `because this is very important to you, and a great satisfaction to me. Mark, you shall be a partner in the business: an equal partner with myself. I will put in, as my additional capital, my professional knowledge and ability; and half the annual profits, as long as it is carried on, shall be yours.'

Poor Martin! For ever building castles in the air. For ever, in his very selfishness, forgetful of all but his own teeming hopes and sanguine plans. Swelling, at that instant, with the consciousness of patronising and most munificently rewarding Mark!

`I don't know, sir,' Mark rejoined, much more sadly than his custom was, though from a very different cause than Martin supposed, `what I can say to this, in the way of thanking you. I'll stand by you, sir, to the best of my ability, and to the last. That's all.'

`We quite understand each other, my good fellow,' said Martin rising in self-approval and condescension. `We are no longer master and servant, but friends and partners; and are mutually gratified. If we determine on Eden, the business shall be commenced as soon as we get there. Under the name,' said Martin, who never hammered upon an idea that wasn't red hot, `under the name of Chuzzlewit and Tapley.'

`Lord love you, sir,' cried Mark, `don't have my name in it. I ain't acquainted with the business, sir. I must be Co., I must. I've often thought,' he added, in a low voice, `as I should like to know a Co.; but I little thought as ever I should live to be one.'

`You shall have your own way, Mark.'

`Thank'ee, sir. If any country gentleman thereabouts, in the public way, or otherwise, wanted such a thing as a skittle-ground made, I could take that part of the bis'ness, sir.'

`Against any architect in the States,' said Martin. `Get a couple of sherry-cobblers, Mark, and we'll drink success to the firm.'

Either he forgot already (and often afterwards), that they were no longer master and servant or considered this kind of duty to be among the legitimate functions of the Co. But Mark obeyed with his usual alacrity; and before they parted for the night, it was agreed between them that they should go together to the agent's in the morning, but that Martin should decide the Eden question, on his own sound judgment. And Mark made no merit, even to himself in his jollity, of this concession; perfectly well knowing that the matter would come to that in the end, any way.

The General was one of the party at the public table next day, and after breakfast suggested that they should wait upon the agent without loss of time. They, desiring nothing more, agreed; so off they all four started for the office of the Eden Settlement, which was almost within rifle-shot of the National Hotel.

It was a small place: something like a turnpike. But a great deal of land may be got into a dice-box, and why may not a whole territory be bargained for in a shed? It was but a temporary office too; for the Edeners were `going' to build a superb establishment for the transaction of their business, and had already got so far as to mark out the site. Which is a great way in America. The office-door was wide open, and in the doorway was the agent: no doubt a tremendous fellow to get through his work, for the seemed to have no arrears, but was swinging backwards and forwards in a rocking-chair, with one of his legs planted high up against the door-post, and the other doubled up under him, as if he were hatching his foot.

He was a gaunt man in a huge straw hat, and a coat of green stuff. The weather being hot, he had no cravat, and wore his shirt collar wide open; so that every time he spoke something was seen to twitch and jerk up in his throat, like the little hammers in a harpsichord when the notes are struck. Perhaps it was the Truth feebly endeavouring to leap to his lips.

If so, it never reached them.

Two grey eyes lurked deep within this agent's head, but one of them had no sight in it, and stood stock still. With that side of his face he seemed to listen to what the other side was doing. Thus each profile had a distinct expression; and when the movable side was most in action, the rigid one was in its coldest state of watchfulness. It was like turning the man inside out, to pass to that view of his features in his liveliest mood, and see how calculating and intent they were.

Each long black hair upon his head hung down as straight as any plummet line; but rumpled tufts were on the arches of his eyes, as if the crow whose foot was deeply printed in the corners had pecked and torn them in a savage recognition of his kindred nature as a bird of prey.

Such was the man whom they now approached, and whom the General saluted by the name of Scadder.

`Well, Gen'ral,' he returned, `and how are you?'

`Ac-tive and spry, sir, in my country's service and the sympathetic cause. Two gentlemen on business, Mr. Scadder.'

He shook hands with each of them (nothing is done in America without shaking hands), then went on rocking.