The Three Clerks

rtled. It first occurred to him that Scott must have been sent down as a third Commissioner to assist at the investigation; and he would have been right glad to

do you like the clotted cream and the thi

laric. 'As yet I have encountered nothing but the not very

t goes hard with them but they butter it on both sides. And how does the faithful Neverbend conduct h

nd laughed slightly. 'But what on earth

Let the Russells look well to themselves. The time is quickly coming when you will address me in the House with bitter sa

aric, not ill-pleased at the suggestion that he also, on so

ith me,' said Undy; 'but in the mea

n and breakfast?

his book. He would be down on some little public peccadillo of mine before I had swallo

ome down af

the coffee, nor all the claret of the Bedford shall tempt

aid Alaric. 'I must go in and

f compassion within me, though no pluck. I am willing to rescue you from your misery, though I will not partake it. Come

hake off this incubus o

u should spend a few hours of the day in the company of a sinner like myself. Tell him that his virtue is too heavy for the digestive organs of your

his first success in the little scheme which at present occupied his mind. The innocent young Commissioner little dreamt th

ve words all that they had to say, would not be constrained to say it in less than five thousand, and each one seemed to think, or pretended to seem to think, that all the outer world and the Government were leagued together to defraud the interest

ear on that point, Mr

ce made him wise, wou

eserve the point, if you please,' and so affairs went on darkly, no

following day. Neverbend had done what he could to keep this crowning honour of the inquiry alt

announced that he was going to

at startled; 'I did not know that

a man I know, this morning, and promised to go to hi

, 'though, when men are together, it's as wel

him a determination to put down at once anyth

bend, 'but I do hope you'll not get among minin

I shall be bribed over by either side because I choose t

m all chance of being talked to on the subject, except before each other and before witnesses. I would not

herever there are two men, there will be two opinions. So good

t up for him. He would sooner have remained up all nigh

omes dreadful when the infliction is extended to post-prandial hours. It does not often occur that one is doomed to bear the same bore both by day and night; any change gives some ease; but

e. 'You are fagged to death, I know, and we'll get a mouthful of fresh air before we go upstairs,'-a

gars cost a great deal of money, and can't well do a man any real good. God Almighty could neve

ges in anything

ith it till all his faculties are overpowered and his mind becomes torpid. It's twice worse

end?-he neve

nes like Neverbend, are just the fellows who go the deepest. I'll be bound he will not

very mine we are

He has an opportunity of knowing their value. Oh, let Never

think you mista

only bought for himself, but was commissioned

hard to make

pity that it never survives the thirti

you no fai

eal in a bank-note. But I have none at all in Fidus Neverbend. What! have faith in a m

r his judgement; but I don'

him to be no better. But come, we must go back to the inn; there is an ally of mine coming to me; a perfect specimen of a sharp Corn

ting a Cornish stock-jobber in a familiar way over his brandy-punch, while engaged, as he now was, on the part of Government; he felt that there might be

en here?' said Scott,

ar now, sir,'

st have a bar within himself-the alcohol he consumes ev

d black trousers, thick boots, a coloured shirt, and very dirty hands. Though every article he wore was good, and most of them such as gentlemen wear, no man alive could have mistaken him for a gentleman

, 'I'm glad to see you again.

at, without moving it from his head. 'And how are you, M

w, takes brandy; their sherry is vile, and their claret worse; maybe

per. If you've brought a little money with you, now's your time.

he word, I

st shave himself before he goes to bed

ppose

ast Monday, he bought up to 450 New Friendships, and before he was a-bed they weren't

did tha

months they was the thing certainly. Why, it came up, sir, as if there weren't no en

e,' said Undy, s

back the metal agin the water, and so he bought all up he could lay his finger on. But the stuff was run out. Them Cambourne boys-what di

d you do in

But, Lord love you, them clean takes never lasts. I worn't going to hang on. Here's your health, Mr. Scott. Yours, Mr.--, I didn

the New Friendships

We're all mortal;' and with this moral comparison between the uncertainty of human life and the vicissitudes of

New Friendships: while they last we must make the most we can of them; buy

nds it better than yourself-keep the ball a-running-that's

me now, I fear. The shares are

up to that of his aristocratic friend, resting his hands, one on Mr. Scott's knee, and the other

r. Manylodes, and to whom the nature of the conversation was, in his pre

ut your interference. Come, you don't like the brandy toddy, nor I eith

or me,

ing himself from the close contiguity of Mr. Manylodes, and speaking under his voice; 'take

imself to be per

of business to say to

then we wi

ingular parish church, built on its highest apex, while Undy held deep council with his friend of the mines. But from time to time, some word of moment found its

If, as I hear, they-' and then there was a very low whisper, and Alaric, who could not keep his eye altogether from Mr. Manylodes' countenance, saw plainly that that worthy gentleman was talking of himself; and in

ou say? I'll take them at ￡5 1s. 1d.-very well;' and he took out his pocket-book and made a memorandum. 'Come, T

ipples. Good night, Mr. Scott. I wishes you good night, sir;' and making another slight reference to his

cimen of a species of

I believe, known now

vonshire, I supp

you should go west of Truro. From Truro to Hayle is the land of the Manylodes. And a singular species

chase

chance came in my way, I did not like to lose it. Come, the bishop ain't so

you purchased

res in the

in again, for I don't want t

little over ￡5, and they'll be saleable to-morrow at double the mon

e, I've got no mon

no money, you can't but want some; and here's your way

of buying mining shares, and more especia

ine, Mr. Commissioner; only you mistake your m

t, I shan't

tide in the affairs of men'-you know the rest; and you know also that 'tide and time wait for no man.' If you are contented with your two or th

it, if I can get nothing b

er. You argue in a circle. You must be a mere clerk if you cannot do better than other mere clerks. But the fact of your having such an offer as th

at I have got, and could not do more than

mmo

ll Sir Gregory openly t

r Gregory tell you what shares he buys? Is not every member of the House, every man in the Government, every barrister, parson, and doctor, that can collect a

t be ashamed to te

ing is this; most men circumstanced as you are have no chance of doing anything good till they are forty or fifty, and then their energies are

id Alaric, who sat listening and drinking,

w understands very well who you are. He wants to be civil to me, and he thinks it wise to be civil to you also. He has a hat full of these shares, and he tells me that, knowing my weakness, and presuming that you have the same

sure that

their folly. I speak of men with brains. How do you think that such men as Hardlines, Vigil, and Mr. Estima

private

made. Two of them are in Parliament, and the other has a Government situation of ￡2,000

re just now thinks that he can influence my opinio

in the world, others, such as Manylodes, like to know that we are embarked in the same speculation with themselves. Why are members of Parliament asked to be directors, and vice-governors, and presidents, and guardians, of all the joint-stock societies that are now set agoing? Not because o

at awful mystery, the fall of man, comes home to us; that we cannot hear the devil plead, and resist the charm of his eloquence. To listen is to be lost. 'Lead us not into temptation, bu

ied with such aspirations as those which glowed in Alaric's breast, should have stood a longer siege; should have been able to look with clearer eyesight on the landmarks which divide h

knelt at God's temple, and given, if not his mind, at least his heart, to the service of his church. But the inner truth of the prayer which he repeated so often had not come home to him. Alas! how many of us from week to week call ourselves worms and dust and miserable sinner

life, became daily more dear to his heart. And now his honourable friend twitted him with being a mere clerk! No, he was not, never had been, never would be such. Had he not already, in five or six short years, distanced his competitors, and made himself th

ke him tipsy on this occasion. He was far from being tipsy; but y

rable friend by his Christian name-'but, Undy, if I take

leave Tavistock. If so, you will not have to pay fo

y the

's no chance of that. I'll

to be trafficking in shares. Buying a few as an

pass had your conscience come

the whole thing, commission and all; but, mind, I don't advise you

dor, to whom the sum seemed anything b

You'll be back in town before that. We must allow him ￡5 for the accomm

he felt also a half-drunken conviction that if Norman failed him, Captain Cuttwater would

his new purchase was worth the purchase-money. 'He's a sharp fellow; certainly, in some things, and may do well yet; but he's uncommonly green. That, however, will

bundles of official papers. An enormous report was open before him, from which he was culling the latent sweets, and extracting the

various points which we have hitherto discussed. I have just been five hours and a half at it;' and Fidus looked at his watch; 'five ho

he bishop, and who remembered, with all the energy of pot valour, that he was not a me

what awkwardly against a chair, Tudor went off to hi

y the worse for drink-decidedly so,' said he to himself, as he pulled of

pit's mouth. He would not be kept from his duty while a dissi