The Three Clerks

morning, owned the truth. It had been arranged that certain denizens of the mine should meet the two Commissioners at the pit-mouth at eight o'clock,

over the breakfast-table alone. He was alone, but not on that account unhappy. He could hardly disguise the pleasure with which he a

eggs at once,' said N

, boots, and chambermaid, the chambermaid especially, had all, in Mr. Neverbend's estimation, paid

hot water immediately-and tell the ostler to ha

id the man, an

uously. 'If you don't bring me my tea immediately, I shall

m his pillow. The boots was now with him administering soda-water and brandy, and he was pondering in his sickened mind whether, by a manful effort, he could ri

ire napkin-twirler to make to him so base a proposition? 'Bring me my breakfast, sir,' shouted Neverbend, in a

f enjoying his meals. It was the only solace which he allowed himself; the only distraction from the cares of office which he permitted either to his body or his mind. But on this great occasion his country

he, as he bolted a last m

he waiter, as he disa

d feeling that his struggle to dress himself was all but useless. The sympathetic boots stood by with a cu

' toast, sir

culated po

the tea, sir, and it'll set yo

sick, and nearly completed t

everbend,' said the boots, whose

to instant action. 'Take my compliments to Mr. Neverb

gloved, standing at the hotel door. The fly was there, and the lame ostle

ou're not to go just at present, but

Wait ten minutes, and it now wanted five-and-twenty minutes to eight

d from the stable yard. 'You are now seven minutes late,' said he, 'and if y

hey went, not at the quickest pace. But Neverbend's heart beat high with triump

in London how his colleague had been deterred from following him. It was a grievous task, that of dressing himself, as youthful sinners know but too well. Every now and then a qualm would come over him, and make the wor

ay,' said Alaric, to whom the

ay to Mary Jane; and it a'n't no joke going

st-trotting pony, and just as Neverbend was rolling up to the pit's mouth fifteen minutes after his time, greatly resolvin

even by the fumes of bishop. But yet it would be a great thing for the Woods and Works if he, Neverbend, could descend in this perilous journey to the deep bowels of the earth, leaving the Weights and Measures stranded in the upper air. This descent among the hidden riches of a lower world, this visit to the provocations of evils not yet dug out from their durable

found himself on the spot. Two native gentlemen, who were to accompany the Commissioners, or the Commission

dams, abounded on every side; muddy men, with muddy carts and muddy horses, slowly crawled hither and thither, apparently with no object, and evidently indifferent as to whom they might overset in their course. The inferior men seemed to show no respect to those above them, and the superiors to exercise no authority over those below them. There was, a sullen equality among them all. O

nd, 'very late indeed, gentlemen; I really must apologize, but it was the driver; I was punctual to the minute, I was indeed. But come, gentlemen, we won't lose ano

y whatsomever,' said one of the mining

rily 'great cause of hurry; we must do this work very thoroughly; an

gen'leman a-coming?

o cry off?' said the other. 'Why,

g down is not necessary for the inquiry, and is merely a matter of taste on

he had on him from dirt and destruction. He must also cover up his head with a linen cap, so constituted as to carry a lump of mud with a candle stuck in it, if he wished to save either his head from filth or his feet from falling. Now Mr. Neverbend, like most clerks in public offices, was somewhat particu

dy course linen jacket that covered the upper portion of his body completely; he then dragged on a pair of equally muddy overalls; and lastly submitted to a mos

be at his ease. Indeed, all his air of command, all his personal dignity and dictatorial tone, left him as soon as he found himself metamorphosed into a fat pseudo-miner. He was like a cock whose feathers had been trailed through the mud, and who could no longer crow aloud, or claim

o see. When he reached the head of the shaft, however, the affair did appear to him to be more terrible than he had before conceived. He was invited to get into a rough square bucket, in which there was just room for himself an

the bucket descended, his last terrestrial glance, looking out among the heaps of mud, d

wait in that narrow damp lobby for the coming of his fellow-Commissioner, the grating on his feelings was even more discordant. He had not pluck enough left to grumble: but he grunted his displeasure. He grunted, however, in vain; for in about a quarter of an hour Alaric was close to him, shoulder to shoulder. He al

badly he had been treated, he was much too wise to show his knowledge. 'It shall go hard b

tub and go down, and down, and down, was in itself easy enough, so long as the heart did not utterly faint. Mr. Neverbend's heart had grown faintish, but still he had persevered, and now stood on a third lobby, listening

for the rest of it, and so saying, he pointed out to Mr. Neverbend's horror-stricken eyes a perpendicular iron ladder

it?' said Alari

disappearing head light. Was it absolutely intended that he should disappear in the same way? Had he bound himself to go down that f

ous nod, placed himself on the ladder, and went down, down, down, till of him also nothing was left but the faintest

ority, 'if you are ready,

creep down that perpendicular abyss. And then a sound, slow, sharp, and continuous, as of drops falling through infinite space on to deep water, came upon his ear; and he saw that the si

d the authority. 'Mr. Tooder'll be at

him for ever fixed. In his despair he essayed to put one foot upon the ladder, and then looked piteously up to the guide's face. Even in that dark, dingy atmosphere th

e working miner, 'and if so be t

oice pleading for mercy, but with all the submission of one prepar

thick and weazy like for t

umbered cap from off his spectacles; 'yes, I am too fat.' How would he have answered, with what aspect would he have

speaking and answering in sounds quite unintelligible to a Cockney's ears; chains rattled, the windlass whirled, and the huge bucket came tumbling down, nearly on their heads. Poor Neverbend was all but lifted into it. Where now was all the pride of the morn that had seen him go forth the great dictator of the mines? Where was that towering spirit with which he

gone from him, his cap covered his eyes, his lamp had reversed itself, and soft globules of grease had fallen on his nose, he was bathed in perspiration, and was nevertheless chilled through to his very bones, his whiskers were fringed with mud, and his black cravat had been pulled from his n

ow than he had been in the early morning. But Jehu found him much more reasonable on his return; and as that respectable functionary pocketed his half

ty knowledge of Undy's shares. When he came to think of the transaction as he rode leisurely back to Tavistock, he knew how wrong he had been, and yet he felt a kind of triumph at the spoil which he held; for he had heard among the miners that the shares of Mary

returned to town on good terms with each other, and Alaric wrote a report, which delighted the heart of Sir Gregory Hardlines, ruined the opponents of th

But Alaric's first anxiety after his return was to procure the ￡206, which he had to pay for the shares which he held in his pocket-book. He all but regretted, as he journeyed up to town, with the now tame Fidus sea

humbler establishment than that patronized by Scott, and one that was dignified by no

'you are always full of mone

n usual. This affair of the examination pressed upon his spirits, and made him dull and unhappy. During the whole of dinner he had s

ithout the eagerness with which Alaric thoug

' said Alaric, the blood mounting to his forehe

nvenience,' said Harry. 'When do yo

ld like to have it earl

e it, so I'll manag

to lending you any money I can spare. I don't think you'll find any other of yo

so large a sum in so short a time. He felt, moreover, that he would not himself be so much ashamed of what he had done if he could confess it to some one else. He could then solace himself with the reflecti

he, 'that I should want such a sum; but

y approval. He disliked speculation altogether, and had an old-fashion

ilway shar

suggest

ot ca

as

c, bringing out the

ack. 'Not that mine that you've

, my dear fellow. I know all that you have to say upon the matter. I did what was very foolish, I dare say; but the idea never occurred to

if it wer

n't occur to me till it was too late. The shares are bought now, and must be paid for to-mor

now quick enough, but still in great displeasure; 'I wo

ardlines, Neverbend, and such men, I might expect to be judged harshly in such a matter. But I have a right to expect tha

n; and it might also be that Tudor would never act so dishonestly again. On the following morning the money was paid; and in the course of the next week th

, & Co., had found it worth their while t