Mortomley's Estate, Vol. III (of 3)

proved the worst blow Mr.

ime such a thing occurred he should leave his employment instantly; let him express an opinion that Mortomley deserved to be sent to prison because he refused to divulge the secrets of his trade,-he could not blind himself to the fact that the annoyance was really attributable to his own utter incompetence and presumption; that h

n custody ere this," observed Mr. Swanland, venting his indignation and praising his clemency in the s

eature, give you not this so tiresome blackguard to the police? They would take from

torted Mr. Swanland; "that is more I exp

this England of yours." With which parting shot Kleinwort waddled off, leavi

f profit) Mortomley's Blue entailed upon him with much greater equ

s of a series of those jokes at which City men laugh, as a ch

ction." One man accosting him in the street remarked he looked a little blue,-another inquired if he was in the blues; when

"You mistake," he explained in answer to the last observation, "Pruss

ted a young fellow, adjusting his eyeglass at the same

I have plenty of that

ed the other, "for in your profession you

a green country, instead of the sea, the deep blue sea,"-remarks that he would be certain to bet on Cambridge, as their colour must be least inoffensive, and variou

o Mr. Asherill, who in one and the same breath rebuked his junior for profanity

ce him to make this waste stuff valuable. I have no doubt he is clever en

e requested Mortomley's presence at his office, and having got

ked if you could manufacture a few tons of

ed the sample before him,

could

mined it, sir," expos

lour is dry. Do you suppose, for a moment, it is poss

le to do so, and therefore entreated Mr. Mortomle

t?" asked

a few tons of it, he had better make it up into balls, and sell it to the wholesale houses tha

names and addresses of washerwomen who might buy a pound or two of blue if he allowed a liberal discount; inquiries as to whether he had not been obliged to apply for a few policemen to keep the staircase at Salisbury Hou

in a tone which caused Mortomley to turn roun

should say, if your friend have a lot of this wretched stuff throw

wn his office, then, the better apparent

, as you call it, wa

ent for a moment

y sorry t

sir," retorted

care for my own trade reputation when, unfortuna

nding, looked straight and da

Ireland used to be compelled to turn their gaze from the Leprechaun, "we need not bandy hard words about this unfortunate business, thou

e contrary. You, however, preferred my men to me, and you

wanland, "you were bound to m

g, but, still, I imagine no law can take away not merely a man's goods, but also his brains. If you can get any Vice-Chancellor to compel me to explain how to make my colours, without my assistance, of cour

rtomley roused. He did not know each man has his weak point, and that M

ildren he could not so relinquish, nor would he. Upon that point Mortomley, generally pliable, was firm, and consequently, after an amount of bickering only a degr

the staircase he

on pretty well, eh? Had your discharge, of course? No. Why they ought to have giv

empted to do anything than he did at that m

his wife, "and the vagabond knew it was never intended I should have it. Lookin

e hailed a cab, and remarking, 'Perhaps you have not got much money loose about you, take this, and you can pay me when you are next in tow

Salisbury House agai

er, that I declare

e country, then, for

anywhere away from

he conversation back to his

hat amongst the papers that went from Homewood

red, opening his tired eyes and looking at her wi

had formul?,"

akers if trade secrets were not more easily carried than all that comes to. Look," and taking out his pocket-book he handed her a couple of sheets of note-paper, "ev

lain them to m

p." Which utterance proved the commencement of another relapse; but Dolly wa

age I have taken in Hertfordshire. All the special colours can now be made

way back to England. He saw the barn, he measured up its size, he made out a list of t

the firm that had wanted the new

enter into an arrangement personally, possibly we may be able to do business." Which was just-though he did not know it-

nished my job, which will be in six weeks, I am thankful to say, for I am sick of the pla

ngs though," suggested Mrs. Mortomley, whose vi

and he left assuring Dolly that his stay among the "mounseers," as he styled all persons who had

ved quicker, and before his return another act in the liquidation play was finished, and all the vats, coppers, mills,

and valuable plant of a colour-maker would shortly be offered for sale, she

for his single brougham, and that it would be a pity to keep such an animal merely to run to and from the station in a dog-cart. Finally, Mr. Dean believed excessive affection for any dumb animal to be a mistake; Providence had given them for the use of man, and if when a horse ceased to be of service to a person in a superior rank of life, it were retained in idleness from any feeling of sentiment, what, asked Mr. Dean, would those in an infe

in vain, remonstrated with her husband on "the cruelty of sending

sell a horse that had been l

tention to these small details that has enabled me to keep Elm Park. It

an devoted a whole morning to answering that letter, and

d when he had quite finished; "I hope Mrs. Mor

c your tone, your accent, your manner; she will borrow a pair of eyeglasses, and let them drop off her nose in the middle of each sentence; and,

ind that the possession of such a wife had no doubt hastened Mo

y. Dolly never was dull, and, I declare, when one comes to realize how fearfully dull almost eve

to hear proceed from the lips of the woman he had

ich to aim the shafts of ridicule. For her the champagne of mirth had ceased to sparkle; for her there was no fun in pompous

said that last look on the dead face of Homewood killed you,-for the Dolly of an earlier time, so bright, so graci