The Struggles of Brown, Jones, and Robinson

by Anthony Trollope

  CHAPTER XII.

  SAMSON AND DELILAH.

  In the commercial world of London there was one man who was reallyanxious to know what were the actual facts of the case with referenceto Johnson of Manchester. This was Mr. William Brisket, whose mind atthis time was perplexed by grievous doubts. He was called upon to actin a case of great emergency, and was by no means sure that he sawhis way. It had been hinted to him by Miss Brown, on the one side,that it behoved her to look to herself, and take her pigs to marketwithout any more shilly-shallying,--by which expression the fairgirl had intended to signify that it would suit her now to nameher wedding-day. And he had been informed by Mr. Brown, on theother side, that that sum of five hundred pounds should be nowforthcoming;--or, if not actually the money, Mr. Brown's promissorynote at six months should be handed to him, dated from the day of hismarriage with Maryanne.

  Under these circumstances, he did not see his way. That the house inBishopsgate Street was doing a large business he did not doubt. Hevisited the place often, and usually found the shop crowded. But hedid doubt whether that business was very lucrative. It might be thatthe whole thing was a bubble, and that it would be burst before thatbill should have been honoured. In such case, he would have saddledhimself with an empty-handed wife, and would decidedly not have seenhis way. In this emergency he went to Jones and asked his advice.Jones told him confidentially that, though the bill of the firm forfive thousand pounds would be as good as paper from the Bank ofEngland, the bill of Mr. Brown himself as an individual would beworth nothing.

  Although Mr. Brisket had gone to Jones as a friend, there had beensome very sharp words between them before they separated. Brisketknew well enough that all the ready money at the command of the firmhad belonged to Mr. Brown, and he now took upon himself to say thatMaryanne had a right to her share. Jones replied that there was nolonger anything to share, and that Maryanne's future husband mustwait for her fortune till her father could pay it out of his income."I couldn't see my way like that; not at all," said Brisket. And thenthere had been high words between them.

  It was at this time that the first act of Johnson of Manchester'slittle comedy was being played, and people in Mr. Brisket's worldwere beginning to talk about the matter. "They must be doing a dealof trade," said one. "Believe me, it is all flash and sham," saidanother. "I happen to know that old Brown did go down to Manchesterand see Johnson there," said the first. "There is no such person atall," said the second. So this went on till Mr. Brisket resolved thathis immediate matrimony should depend on the reality of Johnson'sexistence. If it should appear that Johnson, with all his paper, wasa false meteor; that no one had deceived the metropolitan public;that no one had been taken and had then escaped, he would tell MissBrown that he did not see his way. The light of his intelligence toldhim that promissory notes from such a source, even though signed byall the firm, would be illusory. If, on the other hand, Johnson ofManchester had been taken, then, he thought, he might accept thebill--and wife.

  "Maryanne," he said to the young lady early on that day on which shehad afterwards had her interview with Robinson, "what's all thisabout Johnson of Manchester?"

  "I know nothing about your Johnsons, nor yet about your Manchester,"said Miss Brown, standing with her back to her lover. At this timeshe was waxing wroth with him, and had learned to hate his voice,when he would tell her that he had not yet seen his way.

  "That's all very well, Maryanne; but I must know something before Igo on."

  "Who wants you to go on? Not I, I'm sure; nor anybody belonging tome. If I do hate anything, it's them mercenary ways. There's one whoreally loves me, who'd be above asking for a shilling, if I'd onlyput out my hand to him."

  "If you say that again, Maryanne, I'll punch his head."

  "You're always talking of punching people's heads; but I don't seeyou do so much. I shouldn't wonder if you don't want to punch my headsome of these days."

  "Maryanne, I never riz a hand to a woman yet."

  "And you'd better not, as far as I'm concerned,--not as long as thepokers and tongs are about." And then there was silence between themfor awhile.

  "Maryanne," he began again, "can't you find out about this Johnson?"

  "No; I can't," said she.

  "You'd better."

  "Then I won't," said she.

  "I'll tell you what it is, then, Maryanne. I don't see my way theleast in life about this money."

  "Drat your way! Who cares about your way?"

  "That's all very fine, Maryanne; but I care. I'm a man as is as goodas my word, and always was. I defy Brown, Jones, and Robinson to saythat I'm off, carrying anybody's paper. And as for paper, it's athing as I knows nothing about, and never wish. When a man comes topaper, it seems to me there's a very thin wall betwixt him and thegutter. When I buys a score of sheep or so, I pays for them down; andwhen I sells a leg of mutton, I expects no less myself. I don't owea shilling to no one, and don't mean; and the less that any one owesme, the better I like it. But Maryanne, when a man trades in thatway, a man must see his way. If he goes about in the dark, or withhis eyes shut, he's safe to get a fall. Now about this five hundredpound; if I could only see my way--."

  As to the good sense of Mr. Brisket's remarks, there was nodifference of opinion between him and his intended wife. MissBrown would at that time have been quite contented to enter intopartnership for life on those terms. And though these memoirs arewritten with the express view of advocating a theory of trade foundedon quite a different basis, nevertheless, it may be admitted that Mr.Brisket's view of commerce has its charms, presuming that a man hasthe wherewithal. But such a view is apt to lose its charms in femaleeyes if it be insisted on too often, or too violently. Maryanne hadlong since given in her adhesion to Mr. Brisket's theory; but now,weary with repetition of the lesson, she was disposed to rebel.

  "Now, William Brisket," she said, "just listen to me. If you talk tome again about seeing your way, you may go and see it by yourself.I'm not so badly off that I'm going to have myself twitted at in thatway. If you don't like me, you can do the other thing. And this Iwill say, when a gentleman has spoken his mind free to a lady, and alady has given her answer free back to him, it's a very mean thingfor a gentleman to be saying so much about money after that. Ofcourse, a girl has got herself to look to; and if I take up with you,why, of course, I have to say, 'Stand off,' to any other young man asmay wish to keep me company. Now, there's one as shall be namelessthat wouldn't demean himself to say a word about money."

  "Because he ain't got none himself, as I take it."

  "He's a partner in a first-rate commercial firm. And I'll tell youwhat, William Brisket, I'll not hear a word said against him, andI'll not be put upon myself. So now I wishes you good morning." Andso she left him.

  Brisket, when he was alone, scratched his head, and thought wistfullyof his love. "I should like to see my way," said he. "I always didlike to see my way. And as for that old man's bit of paper--" Then herelapsed once again into silence.

  It was within an hour of all this that Maryanne had followed herfather to George Robinson's room. She had declared her utterindifference as to Johnson of Manchester; but yet it might, perhaps,be as well that she should learn the truth. From her father she hadtried to get it, but he had succeeded in keeping her in the dark. ToJones it would be impossible that she should apply; but from Robinsonshe might succeed in obtaining his secret. She had heard, no doubt,of Samson and Delilah, and thought she knew the way to the strongman's locks. And might it not be well for her to forget that otherSamson, and once more to trust herself to her father's partners? Whenshe weighed the two young tradesmen one against the other, balancingtheir claims with such judgment as she possessed, she doubted much asto her choice. She thought that she might be happy with either;--butthen it was necessary that the other dear charmer should be away.As to Robinson, he would marry her, she knew, at once, without anystipulations. As to Brisket,--if Brisket should be her ultimatechoice,--it would be necessary that she should either
worry herfather out of the money, or else cheat her lover into the belief thatthe money would be forthcoming. Having taken all these circumstancesinto consideration, she invited Mr. Robinson to tea.

  Mr. Brown was there, of course, and so also were Mr. and Mrs.Poppins. When Robinson entered, they were already at the tea-table,and the great demerits of Johnson of Manchester were underdiscussion.

  "Now Mr. Robinson will tell us everything," said Mrs. Poppins. "It'sabout Johnson, you know. Where has he gone to, Mr. Robinson?" ButRobinson professed that he did not know.

  "He knows well enough," said Maryanne, "only he's so close. Now dotell us."

  "He'll tell _you_ anything _you_ choose to ask him," said Mrs.Poppins.

  "Tell me anything! Not him, indeed. What does he care for me?"

  "I'm sure he would if he only knew what you were saying before hecame into the room."

  "Now don't, Polly!"

  "Oh, but I shall! because it's better he should know."

  "Now, Polly, if you don't hold your tongue, I'll be angry! Mr.Robinson is nothing to me, and never will be, I'm sure. Only if he'ddo me the favour, as a friend, to tell us about Mr. Johnson, I'd takeit kind of him."

  In the meantime Mr. Brown and his young married guest were discussingthings commercial on their own side of the room, and Poppins, also,was not without a hope that he might learn the secret. Poppins hadrather despised the firm at first, as not a few others had done,distrusting all their earlier assurances as to trade bargains, andhaving been even unmoved by the men in armour. But the great affairof Johnson of Manchester had overcome even his doubts, and he beganto feel that it was a privilege to be noticed by the senior partnerin a house which could play such a game as that. It was not thatPoppins believed in Johnson, or that he thought that 15,000_l._ ofpaper had at any time been missing. But, nevertheless, the proceedinghad affected his mind favourably with reference to Brown, Jones,and Robinson, and brought it about that he now respected them,--and,perhaps, feared them a little, though he had not respected or fearedthem heretofore. Had he been the possessor of a wholesale house ofbusiness, he would not now have dared to refuse them goods on credit,though he would have done so before Johnson of Manchester had becomeknown to the world. It may therefore be surmised that George Robinsonhad been right, and that he had understood the ways of British tradewhen he composed the Johnsonian drama.

  "Indeed, I'd rather not, Mr. Poppins," said Mr. Brown. "Secrets intrade should be secrets. And though Mr. Johnson has done us a deal ofmischief, we don't want to expose him."

  "But you've been exposing him ever so long," pleaded Poppins.

  "Now Poppins," said that gentleman's wife, "don't you be troublingMr. Brown. He's got other things to think of than answering yourquestions. I should like to know myself, I own, because all thetown's talking about it. And it does seem odd to me that Maryanneshouldn't know."

  "I don't, then," said Maryanne. "And I do think when a lady asksa gentleman, the least thing a gentleman can do is to tell. But Ishan't ask no more,--not of Mr. Robinson. I was thinking--. But nevermind, Polly. Perhaps it's best as it is."

  "Would you have me betray my trust?" said Robinson. "Would you esteemme the more because I had deceived my partners? If you think thatI am to earn your love in that way, you know but little of GeorgeRobinson." Then he got up, preparing to leave the room, for hisfeelings were too many for him.

  "Stop, George, stop," said Mr. Brown.

  "Let him go," said Maryanne.

  "If he goes away now I shall think him as hard as Adam," said Mrs.Poppins.

  "There's three to one again him," said Mr. Poppins to himself. "Whatchance can he have?" Mr. Poppins may probably have gone through somesuch phase of life himself.

  "Let him go," said Maryanne again. "I wish he would. And then let himnever show himself here again."

  "George Robinson, my son, my son!" exclaimed the old man.

  It must be understood that Robinson had heard all this, though he hadleft the room. Indeed, it may be surmised that had he been out ofhearing the words would not have been spoken. He heard them, for hewas still standing immediately beyond the door, and was irresolutewhether he would depart or whether he would return.

  "George Robinson, my son, my son!" exclaimed the old man again.

  "He shall come back!" said Mrs. Poppins, following him out of thedoor. "He shall come back, though I have to carry him myself."

  "Polly," said Maryanne, "if you so much as whisper a word to ask him,I'll never speak to you the longest day you have to live."

  But the threat was thrown away upon Mrs. Poppins, and, under herauspices, Robinson was brought back into the room. "Maryanne," saidhe, "will you renounce William Brisket?"

  "Laws, George!" said she.

  "Of course she will," said Mrs. Poppins, "and all the pomps andvanities besides."

  "My son, my son!" said old Brown, lifting up both his hands. "Mydaughter, my daughter! My children, my children!" And then he joinedtheir hands together and blessed them.

  He blessed them, and then went down into the shop. But before theevening was over, Delilah had shorn Samson of his locks. "And sothere wasn't any Johnson after all," said she.

  But Robinson, as he returned home, walked again upon roses.