Friend Perditus. A novel

Chapter I

The next three months were so crowded with business that I really had no time for gloomy reflections. In the first place I commenced negociations with the firm of Simpson, Marshall and Co., and ultimately, persuading them to accept a hundred and eighty thousand in place of the two hun dred thousand they had originally asked, I became a partner in that most prosperous business, with a yearly income, according to the estimated profits of the house, of thirty-five thousand pounds. Mr. Stanniwell had sold my shares even VOL. II. B to greater advantage than he anticipated, and, after paying this hundred and eighty thousand, I found that I had still eighty thousand pounds remaining. Twenty thousand of this I deposited at the bank to draw upon, and the rest I invested in Government securities, determined that no matter what might happen to me in business, my mother and brother should be absolutely secured from want in the future.

My mother was not well pleased that I would not at once settle upon her and Lucien twenty thousand pounds each out of this fund, and in all probability I should have given in to her wishes on the subject had not Erank Nesbit and Charlie Hall combated the notion so strongly. They represented to me that I should be acting most unwisely to do anything of the sort ; for, in the event of my marrying at any future time, and having perhaps children to provide for, as well as a wife, it would be doing them the greatest injustice, in case of any business disaster overtaking me, to have made this disposition of so large an amount of money. Seeing that I still hesitated, in his true friendship for me, Charles Hall, who was by no means a favourite of my mother's, actually suggested that he should go and speak to her on the subject, and open her eyes to the unreasonable nature of her request.

This earnestness on his part decided me. I could not afford to neglect his counsel, he had always been so wise an adviser to me; and, even if he had been less clever, his absolute integrity and good faith would have invested his opinion with a golden weight. Therefore I told my mother that I could not do what she asked, but while my business prospered I was willing to allow her one thousand pounds a year for private expenses, and my brother also could draw upon me to a similar extent. In the event of Lucien's marrying, I undertook to increase 2 B his portion by another thousand a year, always supposing that things went well with me in business. In any other case, of course, another arrangement must be come to. My mother fretted and fumed for some time over this, but at length, when she saw that I was firmly resolved, she ceased to importune me.

Having signed an agreement with the firm, I next turned my attention to finding a suitable house. My mother's ideas on this subject were most magnificent, but fortunately my brain is very clear where money is concerned, and I perceived at once that even with so considerable an income as forty thousand a year, it would be the height of folly to take a house that happened to be empty in Park Lane, or a magnificent mansion in Palace Gardens, either of which I might have had at a yearly rental of three thousand pounds. At last I discovered a residence which appeared to me to be everything we could desire Friend Perditus. 5 in size and situation. It stood in Brook Street,Mayfair, and I considered it well worth the nine hundred pounds a year the landlord wanted for it. Erom basement to attic the appointments were faultless, and the place having been entirely re-decorated by a well-known artist in this line, even in its empty condition it looked cheerful and inviting.

Although this house was not quite so palatial as my mother desired it to be, and, in her opinion, the marble staircase leading from the hall might have been a trifle wider with advantage, still — " It would do very well," she said calmly, and there upon I settled matters with the landlord, inwardly marvelling at the wonderful power of adapting themselves to circumstances some women possess. Here was my mother, for instance, who five short weeks before had been living in a condition of absolute squalor , examining with an air of most critical cool ness rooms and decorations that struck even Charles Hall who, by this time had got into very fashionable practice, as being singularly fine in proportion and elegant in design. Lucien was a striking example of how much inferior men are to women with respect to this capability of adapting them selves to novel surroundings.

He made no pretence of not being surprised and im pressed, and I must admit, though possibly my mother's attitude was the more dignified, and calculated to awe the swarms of tradesmen who, even in this aristocratic neighbourhood, pestered us with efforts to secure our future custom, I was much better pleased with his outspoken admi ration than I was with her condescending patronage. Altogether I found my brother Lucien far easier to get on with than my mother. He was much less blunt and brusque than she was, and I saw that out of con sideration for me he often tried to check her when she said or did things solely with the intention of wounding what she called my ' false delicacy and squeamish nonsense.' Lucien had not much influence with her, but I was grateful for the effort he made to spare me, and moreover his conduct on the subject of the settlements had been very conciliatory.

He had shown no gleam of annoyance when I declined to do what our mother proposed, and I appreciated his good temper the more when I wit nessed the burst of anger with which she received the first intimation of my resolve. Being desirous of restoring her com pletely to good humour, I called at the hotel on the evening that I had finally settled with the landlord. " Now, mother," I said cheerfully, " the house is waiting for us ; it only wants furnishing." " Give me enough money and I'll take that trouble off your hands," she cried eacrerlv. " The very thing I was going to propose," I replied. " I vi ant to get into harness in the city. You see I have to learn my trade, and if you and Lucien would under take the furnishing I should be glad. Order what you like, and have the bills sent in to me to pay."

" I would rather go with the money in my hand to buy things," replied my mother shrewdly ; " people charge much more when they give you credit." This certainly sounded reasonable, so I took out my pocket-book and drew a cheque for a thousand pounds. " Make that go as far as you can," I-said, " but if you require more you must have it. Remember, mother, I want a house that looks like a home." With this weighty matter arranged, I imagined, I plunged myself heart and soul into my new business. On the fourth morning, however, when I left Charlie's house — Charlie's now entirely, for I had formally relinquished my share on quarter day, insisting on his accepting my half of the furniture as a wedding present — when I left the house and bent my steps towards the station, I encountered Lucien, who, cigar in mouth, was strolling up and down in the bright May sunlight, evidently wait ing for me.

"Why didn't you come in?" I said, when I had shaken hands. "Have you breakfasted ? " " Oh, yes, an hour ago ; the mater was off shopping early. I didn't come in because I wanted a word with you without Hall's being present." " Yes— nothing wrong, is there ? " He hesitated, and again I saw the disagreeable furtive expression in his eyes which had impressed me so unfavourably on our first meeting. " No, I don't know that there is, still I thought I had better mention the subject to you." " What is it ? Come, Lucien, surely it can't be so difficult a matter ? " " Well, it isn't exactly a pleasant one, because it looks as if I were running our mother down, and I don't want to appear to do that." " Of course not," I replied, wondering what in the world he could be going to say. " Well, the long and the short of it is," he continued with an effort, " I am afraid you have acted a little unwisely in commissionins: mother to buv the furniture for the new house."

" But why ? " " Why mother's tastes are — well, to speak plainly — rather loud ; to tell truth there is no denying the fact that our mother is rather loud altogether; moreover she is evidently not inclined to let me have a word with regard to the selection of the things, or I might tone down her love of glitter and bright colours a bit. However, I can't ex plain to you what I mean better than by showing you one or two specimens that are in a window in Tottenham Court Road of the drawing-room furniture that she has ordered. If you have half an hour to spare this morning you had better take a cab and see for yourself, and then, if you don't approve, it would be as well to put a stop to her proceedings before she has gone any further." I called a hansom, and as we drove along I could not help wondering what made this such a difficult subject for my brother to approach.

It was no such rank heresy that I could see to doubt his mother's taste, and yet, judging from his white, nervous face, one might almost suppose that he had been accusing her of some crime. Lucien ordered the driver to stop at a certain shop in Tottenham Court Road, and no sooner did I look into the window than I gave a gasp of downright horror. Of all the atrocious coverings that the mind of man ever conceived, surely none could j>os sibly equal that particular, terrible, scarlet satin ; and, as if the predominant colour were not sufficiently distressing to the eye, the glaring vulgarity of the furniture was increased tenfold by the fact that in the centre of each chair-back and seat there flaunted some gorgeous tropical bird in raised silks. Parrots, macaws, and every imaginable fowl of the air who boasted a vivid, not to say coarse-coloured plumage, glared at the be holder writh menacing glass eyes, and seemed, with hooked beaks, and raised defiant claws to threaten with an instant and terrible vengeance anyone who should approach them too nearly.

" Good heavens ! " I cried. " You can't mean to tell me, Lucien, that our mother has ordered those awful things for our drawing-room ? " He nodded. "And the carpet is royal blue, with great bunches of scarlet flowers on it," he con tinued. " Mother thinks the contrast will be charming with the gold frames of the chairs and sofas." " But it's all so terribly common and gaudy," I continued, in tones of thorough disgust. " Why, in the name of goodness, didn't our mother go to a good shop ? I really should not have thought it would be possible to buy anything so violently offensive as this in London." " I fancied you wouldn't like them," he replied laconically, gazing disapprovingly at the outrageous birds. " Like them ! I don't pretend to be over fastidious, but I couldn't live in a room with such fiendish creatures.

Eancy resting one's back against that diabolical parrot there. It's eye is positively devilish." " Weil, you had better come and tell mother so. Don't say that I put you up to it, Eriend, or she'll be furious with me. Pretend that you met me by accident here, and that I showed you the things." " All right," I said. " I don't want to get you into trouble, Lucien, and really I am grateful to you for having opened my eyes. Why," I continued, laughing— though I was chagrined, I could not help seeing a certain humorous side to the situation — " why, our house would have been the talk of the town if the rest of its furniture had been in keeping with the drawing-room suite." But before I reached the Alexandra Hotel I lost sight of all the comicality of the matter, and, looking into Lucien's face, I said uneasily : " I am afraid our mother won't be pleased at my taking this furnishing business out of her hands."

"I am sure she will not," he replied. " That's where the difficulty comes in. Mother is fond of spending money, and she won't like returning what she has left of the thousand pounds, I know." I drew down the corners of my lips. It was a stiff sum to lose, but anything was better than having either a quarrel with my mother or my home made horrible to me. With a shrug of the shoulders, I replied : " Well, if she objects strongly to refund ing I must make the best of it. I shouldn't argue the matter for long. Fortunately, a thousand more or less is not of vital importance to me." At this the cloud that had hung over my brother's face disappeared as if by magic, and Friend Perditus. 15 all the rest of the way he chatted as though in the brightest and merriest of moods. As I expected, my mother received my proposal to complete the furnishing of the house myself in a very angry spirit; but, rendered more acute than usual by Lucien's hint, I perceived at once that her grievance was the having to return me the unspent money.

" You are placing me in a horribly un dignified position, Eriend," she grumbled. " I am sure I don't know wThat I shall say to the man in Tottenham Court Road. I had actually bought the furniture and ordered the carpet. I dare say it is half made by this time, and the bill was to be a heavy one, I can assure you. If you are so dreadfully averse to cheerful surround ings, you ought to have told me of your peculiarity." Cheerful surroundings ! And she de scribed those fearful feathered creatures, disporting on their lurid scorching back grounds as cheerful surroundings ! " Any way," my mother continued, with increasing annoyance, " I can't give you nearly the whole of the thousand pounds back, I shall have to persuade the man to buy the furniture and carpet of me again, and of course he won't do so at its original value."

" Well, mother," I said in a propitiatory tone, " I am really very sorry to have placed you in a such a disagreeable situation, and I am also sorry that our tastes don't agree. Under the circumstances, therefore, I should not think of adding to your perplexities. Pay the man what he wants to let you off the bargain, and spend what remains on anything you like." I was not as a rule very observant of other people. I hope this does not argue that there was any very superabundant amount of egotism in my nature at this period ; I do not think it does ; I rather imagine it was the outcome of my peculiar mental condition, which was very conducive to a system of profound self -analysis ; but unobservant as I was, I could not fail to notice, on the conclusion of my speech, a quick furtive interchange of glances between my mother and Lucien, who up to this moment had stood with his back towards us, as if determined to take no part in the discussion.

On my way to Gillow's, into whose capable hands I decided to put the entire furnishing of my house, I puzzled myself with conjec tures as to the meaning of this intercepted very peculiar glance, until at last I became quite worried with it. My conversation with one of the head men at Gillow's inter rupted the course of my thoughts for a time, but when I started citywards in a hansom my mind reverted to the subject again. " What could they mean, I wronder ? " I thought, and then an explanation of their mysterious conduct, though not a very satis factory one, occurred to me. " I should not be surprised," I muttered, " if after all the furniture were not ex pensive, that Lucien knew it, and was aware also that my mother pretended she VOL. n. c had paid a heavy sum for it to make her grievance appear more weighty.

Well, if that is so, it was not an honourable trick, to say the least of it." But no sooner had I spoken than I began to reproach myself. " I am getting dreadfully suspicious," I murmured; "I have no right to suppose any such thing ; the expression that passed between them no doubt was only a gleam of satisfaction at the acquisition of more money. Well, there is nothing absolutely wrong in that, and since they know so well the misery of poverty, and the bitter sordid cares connected with want of money, I ought to be the last one in the world to reproach them with an undue appreciation of it. I, too, whose mind so short a time ago, with no such excuse as theirs, was filled to the exclusion of every better thought, with the love of gain." But chough I argued I did not succeed in convincing myself; really and truly in my heart of hearts I believed I had been deceived as to the worth of the furniture, and I chafed and fumed under the imposition.

By the time I reached the end of Totten ham Court R,oad I had made up my mind. Desiring the cabman to alter his course, I was once more driven to the shop which contained the objects of my aversion, and a little shiver of disgust passed over me as I noticed that quite a crowd were gathered together on the pavement in front of the shop, gazing at the fiendish birds, and commenting upon them in a very satirical and derisive manner. Entering the shop I asked for the manager. " Can you tell me," I said, trying to keep out of my countenance any expression of disapproval, li what would be the price of a suite of furniture similar to that you are displaying in the window ? " An unmistakable smile of amusement flitted across the man's serious business-like face. c " Do you allude to the birds and scarlet satin and gold ?

" he inquired, still with a broad grin, which he struggled in vain to subdue. " Yes," I replied, wondering at his pecu liar manner, " I do." " Well then, sir, no money could buy a similar set to that." " Indeed ! " I cried, in amazement " You see, sir, this is how it is : I am simply displaying that suite of furniture in my shop window for a day or two to attract attention in the neighbourhood ; it really never occurred to me that any Englishman would be likely to desire one on the same pattern — they make my eyes ache every time I look at them." I coloured. I was really mortified that this man should consider me capable of a wish to possess such hideous vulgar things ; and noticing my vexation he continued quickly, with the idea of appeasing my just indignation — " Of course I admit they are very handsome, and the upholstery work and the gilding of the frames are really first rate.

You are evidently a good judge of such matters, sir, and I wish I could execute your order; but I cannot if you are set upon that particular design. That suite of furniture has beeu made bv us according to instructions received, and is now the pro perty of a Persian prince, who takes it to his native country next week as a present to his favourite wife. When I received the order, Prince Abdul Nasrin made it a sine qua non that I was not to reproduce the design, which is his own, for our benefit. I assure you, sir, I am sorry to have to disappoint you, as another order such as this would have been a capital one for me — the Prince pays me five hundred pounds for this suite." I did not feel up to business in the City after this — I could not make it out— so, dis missing the cab, I strolled to the Park, and walked gently in the direction of Wilton Crescent.

By the time I reached my home I fancied I had found the solution of the mystery. Probably my mother had inquired the price of the furniture, and from what passed between them had imagined the man under stood her desire to purchase the things ; but in that case why should my presumed admiration for them have occasioned him so much surprise ? Then I remembered his remark about not having expected any such application from an Englishman, and I con cluded he referred to my mother's inquiry, my mother, who certainly could not have been mistaken for an Englishwoman by any stretch of imagination. " She will find out her mistake when she goes to speak to them an on the subject," I murmured; "but will she make any at tempt to return the five hundred pounds to me ? I doubt it. Well, it can't be helped."

I told Charlie all about the matter at lunch, and I was troubled to observe that he seemed to think it far more serious than I did. " The man must have been humbugging you. I should think," he said, looking at me with an anxious pucker in his brows; "I can't see how it was possible for your mother to make such a mistake ; why, all sorts of preliminaries would have to be gone through before a tradesman would accept such an order as that." "That's possible," I replied; "but no doubt my mother doesn't understand that ; you must remember she has never had the spending of large sums of money. What I imagine is, that she walked in, asked the price, said she should like a similar set, and left again under the impression the order had been accepted. She is awfully dictatorial, recollect." " Well, but how about her address ?

Nobody could give such an order without leaving an address." " Oh, I suppose she did leave her ad dress," I replied, "for I remember Lucien said there was a carpet ordered there. That must be the explanation of it, Charlie, for I am certain the man spoke in good faith. Now it remains to be seen whether my mother will suggest returning any of the money. I am doubtful about it myself, though I wouldn't admit as much to any one but you." " I am not doubtful about it," he said, looking at me in great perplexity. Charlie was in the habit of making the best of my mother, and I was glad to hear him say this : " You think she will return it, then ? " " No, I do not," he answered grimly ; " I am sure she won't." After this there was a long silence between us, but presently Charlie rose and said impressively : " Eriend, you are a clever chap in many ways, but you have not the usual experience of a man of your years, and in some matters you are as simple as a child.

Don't spend money on impulse, that's all, and consult the friends you know are true to you as often as you can." He left the room quickly, but I noticed that after this he did not make the same excuses for my mother, in fact he avoided mentioning her name as much as possible, and constantly made inquiries as to my expenditure.

Chapter II

The end of July had come, and London was empty before my home was ready to receive me. Charlie and I gripped each other hard by both hands, but neither of us spoke, when the moment for my departure from Wilton Crescent arrived; indeed our. hearts were too heavy for words. No one can imagine the pang it cost me to separate from this dearly-loved friend, and I am afraid, in my selfish grief, the thought that Charlie would soon have a far dearer companion in my place, added to, rather than lessened, my sorrow. But when I reached Brook Street, and in answer to my knock the door was immediately thrown wide open, my spirits rose considerably, and before I crossed the threshold of the house my heart began to beat with an unwonted sensation of pleasure. I fancy in my nature there must be an innate love of what some would call thea trical situations ; any way, my mother's arrangements for my reception at my new home gave me a genuine thrill of enjoyment.

In the hall were marshalled the whole of our household staff, five women ser vants and three men, and at the top of the short flight of marble steps was my mother herself, looking more dignified than I could have imagined possible, in some picturesque arrangement of black lace. I stood for a moment gazing at the pro bably carefully-rehearsed scene, and then my mother slowly descended the stairs, saying in her clear, penetrating tones to the smiling servants — " Welcome your master, if you please." At once they all bowed low, and I must own a most unfamiliar flutter of pride swept over me as I passed through the obsequious little crowd and recognised the fact that I was the master of this luxurious house, and that all these people depended upon me for their comfort and well being. Before I entered the dining-room I had time to form many good resolutions, and to my inexpressible comfort I found that the softness in my heart was reflected in my mother's face ; there was a troubled look in her ordinarily hard, grey eyes, but they rested on me with more tenderness than I had seen in them yet.

" Mother," I said, clasping her hand in mine and trying to steady my voice, for I was ashamed to show her the strong: emotion I felt, " it shall not be my fault if this home is not a very happy one to you and Lucien. I so earnestly desire to retrieve my fault." She looked into my eyes, and for a moment I wras almost alarmed at the ex traordinary conflict of feeling I could read in her face. It seemed to me that remorse and fear os herself, as wrell as a curious, un willing tenderness, were plainly expressed in her countenance. Her face and lips were even paler than usual, her mouth twitched nervously, and her hand trembled in mine. These signs of weakness in this ada mantine woman, while they perplexed me, touched me greatly. " Mother," I murmured, putting my arm round her3 for I saw that she needed support, " you are overwrought, the ex citement has been too much for you.

Come, sit down quietly in your own easy chair here by your own hearth." But my words did not seem to bring her any comfort ; with a low moan she dis engaged herself from my arms, and stagger ing away sank into a chair by the table and covered her scared face with her hands. " What is it, what is it, mother ? " I cried, bending over her. " Come, tell me your trouble ; it grieves me that any shadow should rest upon you to-day to spoil your home-coming." " Stop, stop," she gasped, " don't speak to me for a minute ; I shall be better by and-bye ; it is a passing attack of faintness, that is all." And then, to my intense consternation, she broke down altogether, and, panting and struggling for breath, fell with her face upon her arms in a paroxysm of hard, dry sobs ; such tearing, heart-breaking sobs as one hears from a man sometimes, but seldom from a woman.

" O, Eriend, Eriend," she wailed, " you are a good man, a good man ; you deserve a better fate." " Nay," I faltered, " God is merciful to me, inasmuch as he gives me an opportunity of making atonement to you. Do not grieve for me, mother, I am happier this moment than I ever thought to be, and do not lose hope on my account, for although it is long delayed, the day may come when my memory will return to me." A strong convulsive shudder swept over her, but her sobs ceased, and in another minute she rose, having recovered her com posure so completely that I own I was fairly astonished. " I am sorry," she said, with her usual hard smile, " to have given you so cheerless a welcome, my son ; I intended that everything should be very bright. Well, you must forgive me ; it is not often that I indulge in emotional displays of this kind."