The Great Hoggarty Diamond | Page 9

drive you down. We shall take up the Chancellor at
Whitehall."
So saying, Mr. Brough folded up the cheque, and shaking hands with
Mr. Roundhand very cordially, got into his carriage-and-four (he
always drove four horses even in the City, where it's so difficult),
which was waiting at the office-door for him.
Bob Swinney used to say that he charged two of the horses to the

Company; but there was never believing half of what that Bob said, he
used to laugh and joke so. I don't know how it was, but I and a gent by
the name of Hoskins (eleventh clerk), who lived together with me in
Salisbury Square, Fleet Street--where we occupied a very genteel
two-pair--found our flute duet rather tiresome that evening, and as it
was a very fine night, strolled out for a walk West End way. When we
arrived opposite Covent Garden Theatre we found ourselves close to
the "Globe Tavern," and recollected Bob Swinney's hospitable
invitation. We never fancied that he had meant the invitation in earnest,
but thought we might as well look in: at any rate there could be no
harm in doing so.
There, to be sure, in the back drawing-room, where he said he would be,
we found Bob at the head of a table, and in the midst of a great smoke
of cigars, and eighteen of our gents rattling and banging away at the
table with the bottoms of their glasses.
What a shout they made as we came in! "Hurray!" says Bob, "here's
two more! Two more chairs, Mary, two more tumblers, two more hot
waters, and two more goes of gin! Who would have thought of seeing
Tit, in the name of goodness?"
"Why," said I, "we only came in by the merest chance."
At this word there was another tremendous roar: and it is a positive fact,
that every man of the eighteen had said he came by chance! However,
chance gave us a very jovial night; and that hospitable Bob Swinney
paid every shilling of the score.
"Gentlemen!" says he, as he paid the bill, "I'll give you the health of
John Brough, Esquire, and thanks to him for the present of 21L. 5s.
which he made me this morning. What do I say--21L. 5S.? That and a
month's salary that I should have had to pay-- forfeit--down on the nail,
by Jingo! for leaving the shop, as I intended to do to-morrow morning.
I've got a place--a tip-top place, I tell you. Five guineas a week, six
journeys a year, my own horse and gig, and to travel in the West of
England in oil and spermaceti. Here's confusion to gas, and the health
of Messrs. Gann and Co., of Thames Street, in the City of London!"

I have been thus particular in my account of the West Diddlesex
Insurance Office, and of Mr. Brough, the managing director (though the
real names are neither given to the office nor to the chairman, as you
may be sure), because the fate of me and my diamond pin was
mysteriously bound up with both: as I am about to show.
You must know that I was rather respected among our gents at the West
Diddlesex, because I came of a better family than most of them; had
received a classical education; and especially because I had a rich aunt,
Mrs. Hoggarty, about whom, as must be confessed, I used to boast a
good deal. There is no harm in being respected in this world, as I have
found out; and if you don't brag a little for yourself, depend on it there
is no person of your acquaintance who will tell the world of your merits,
and take the trouble off your hands.
So that when I came back to the office after my visit at home, and took
my seat at the old day-book opposite the dingy window that looks into
Birchin Lane, I pretty soon let the fellows know that Mrs. Hoggarty,
though she had not given me a large sum of money, as I
expected--indeed, I had promised a dozen of them a treat down the
river, should the promised riches have come to me--I let them know, I
say, that though my aunt had not given me any money, she had given
me a splendid diamond, worth at least thirty guineas, and that some day
I would sport it at the shop.
"Oh, let's see it!" says Abednego, whose father was a mock-jewel and
gold-lace merchant in Hanway Yard; and I promised that he should
have a sight of it as soon as it was set. As my pocket- money was run
out too (by coach-hire to and from home, five shillings to our maid at
home, ten to my aunt's maid