Mens Wives | Page 8

in the very front shop itself sat a gentleman who
was the nominee of one of them, and who was called Mr. Mossrose. He
was there to superintend the cash account, and to see that certain
instalments were paid to his principals, according to certain agreements
entered into between Mr. Eglantine and them.

Having that sort of opinion of Mr. Mossrose which Damocles may have
had of the sword which hung over his head, of course Mr. Eglantine
hated his foreman profoundly. "HE an artist," would the former
gentleman exclaim; "why, he's only a disguised bailiff! Mossrose
indeed! The chap's name's Amos, and he sold oranges before he came
here." Mr. Mossrose, on his side, utterly despised Mr. Eglantine, and
looked forward to the day when he would become the proprietor of the
shop, and take Eglantine for a foreman; and then it would HIS turn to
sneer and bully, and ride the high horse.
Thus it will be seen that there was a skeleton in the great perfumer's
house, as the saying is: a worm in his heart's core, and though to all
appearance prosperous, he was really in an awkward position.
What Mr. Eglantine's relations were with Mr. Walker may be imagined
from the following dialogue which took place between the two
gentlemen at five o'clock one summer's afternoon, when Mr. Walker,
issuing from his chambers, came across to the perfumer's shop:--
"Is Eglantine at home, Mr. Mossrose?" said Walker to the foreman,
who sat in the front shop.
"Don't know--go and look" (meaning go and be hanged); for Mossrose
also hated Mr. Walker.
"If you're uncivil I'll break your bones, Mr. AMOS," says Mr. Walker,
sternly.
"I should like to see you try, Mr. HOOKER Walker," replies the
undaunted shopman; on which the Captain, looking several tremendous
canings at him, walked into the back room or "studio."
"How are you, Tiny my buck?" says the Captain. "Much doing?"
"Not a soul in town. I 'aven't touched the hirons all day," replied Mr.
Eglantine, in rather a desponding way.
"Well, just get them ready now, and give my whiskers a turn. I'm going
to dine with Billingsgate and some out-and-out fellows at the 'Regent,'
and so, my lad, just do your best."
"I can't," says Mr. Eglantine. "I expect ladies, Captain, every minute."
"Very good; I don't want to trouble such a great man, I'm sure.
Good-bye, and let me hear from you THIS DAY WEEK, Mr.
Eglantine." "This day week" meant that at seven days from that time a
certain bill accepted by Mr. Eglantine would be due, and presented for
payment.

"Don't be in such a hurry, Captain--do sit down. I'll curl you in one
minute. And, I say, won't the party renew?"
"Impossible--it's the third renewal."
"But I'll make the thing handsome to you;--indeed I will."
"How much?"
"Will ten pounds do the business?"
"What! offer my principal ten pounds? Are you mad, Eglantine?--A
little more of the iron to the left whisker."
"No, I meant for commission."
"Well, I'll see if that will do. The party I deal with, Eglantine, has
power, I know, and can defer the matter no doubt. As for me, you know,
I'VE nothing to do in the affair, and only act as a friend between you
and him. I give you my honour and soul, I do."
"I know you do, my dear sir." The last two speeches were lies. The
perfumer knew perfectly well that Mr. Walker would pocket the ten
pounds; but he was too easy to care for paying it, and too timid to
quarrel with such a powerful friend. And he had on three different
occasions already paid ten pounds' fine for the renewal of the bill in
question, all of which bonuses he knew went to his friend Mr. Walker.
Here, too, the reader will perceive what was, in part, the meaning of the
word "Agency" on Mr. Walker's door. He was a go-between between
money-lenders and borrowers in this world, and certain small sums
always remained with him in the course of the transaction. He was an
agent for wine, too; an agent for places to be had through the influence
of great men; he was an agent for half-a-dozen theatrical people, male
and female, and had the interests of the latter especially, it was said, at
heart. Such were a few of the means by which this worthy gentleman
contrived to support himself, and if, as he was fond of high living,
gambling, and pleasures of all kinds, his revenue was not large enough
for his expenditure- -why, he got into debt, and settled his bills that
way. He was as much at home in the Fleet as in Pall Mall, and quite as
happy in the one place as in the other. "That's