Will Warburton | Page 8

somebody's servant."
Meanwhile, unfortunately for a young man of this temperament, his
prospects had become less assured. There was perturbation in the sugar
world; income from St. Kitts and from Whitechapel had sensibly
diminished, and it seemed but too likely, would continue to do so. For
some half-year Will lived in London, "looking about him," then he
announced that Godfrey Sherwood, at present sole representative of
Sherwood Brothers, had offered him an active partnership in Little
Ailie Street, and that he had accepted it. He entered upon this position
without zeal, but six months' investigation had taught him that to earn
money without surrendering his independence was no very easy thing;
he probably might wait a long time before an opening would present
itself more attractive than this at the sugar-refinery.
Godfrey Sherwood was a schoolfellow of his, but some two or three
years older; much good feeling existed between them, their tastes and
tempers having just that difference in similarity which is the surest
bond of friendship. Judged by his talk, Sherwood was all vigour,
energy, fire; his personal habits, on the other hand, inclined to
tranquillity and ease--a great reader, he loved the literature of romance
and adventure, knew by heart authors such as Malory and Froissart, had
on his shelves all the books of travel and adventure he could procure.
As a boy he seemed destined to any life save that of humdrum
commerce, of which he spoke with contempt and abhorrence; and there
was no reason why he should not have gratified his desire of seeing the
world, of leading what he called "the life of a man." Yet here he was,
sitting each day in a counting-house in Whitechapel, with nothing
behind him but a few rambles on the continent, and certainly with no
immediate intention of going far afield. His father's death left him in
sole command of the business, and his reasonable course would have
been to retire from it as soon as possible, for foreign competition was
making itself felt in the English trade, and many firms more solidly

established than that in Little Ailie Street had either come to grief or
withdrawn from the struggle. But Godfrey's inertia kept him in the
familiar routine, with day-to-day postponement of practical decision.
When Warburton came back from St. Kitts, and their friendship was
renewed, Godfrey's talk gave full play to his imaginative energies. Yes,
yes, the refining business was at a bad pass just now, but this was only
temporary; those firms that could weather the storm for a year or two
longer would enter upon a time of brilliant prosperity. Was it to be
supposed that the Government would allow a great industry to perish
out of mere regard for the fetish of Free Trade? City men with
first-hand information declared that "measures" were being prepared; in
one way or another, the English trade would be rescued and made
triumphant over those bounty-fed foreigners.
"Hold on?" cried Sherwood. "Of course I mean to hold on. There's
pleasure and honour in the thing. I enjoy the fight. I've had thoughts of
getting into Parliament, to speak for sugar. One might do worse, you
know. There'll be a dissolution next year, certain. First-rate fun,
fighting a constituency. But in that case I must have a partner
here--why that's an idea. How would it suit you? Why not join me?"
And so the thing came about. The terms which Godfrey offered were so
generous that Will had to reduce them before he accepted: even thus, he
found his income, at a stroke, all but doubled. Sherwood, to be sure, did
not stand for Parliament, nor was anything definite heard about that
sugar-protecting budget which he still believed in. In Little Ailie Street
business steadily declined.
"It's a disgrace to England!" cried Godfrey. "Monstrous that not a
finger should be lifted to save one of our most important industries.
You, of course, are free to retire at any moment, Will. For my own part,
here I stand, come what may. If it's ruin, ruin let it be. I'll fight to the
last. A man owes me ten thousand pounds. When I recover it, and I
may any day--I shall put every penny into the business."
"Ten thousand pounds!" exclaimed Warburton in astonishment. "A
trade debt, do you mean?"
"No, no. A friend of mine, son of a millionaire, who got into difficulties
some time ago, and borrowed of me to clear himself. Good interest, and
principal safe as Consols. In a year at most I shall have the money back,
and every penny shall go into the business."

Will had his private view of the matter, and not seldom suffered a good
deal of uneasiness as he saw the inevitable doom approach. But already
it was too late