The Firm of Girdlestone

by Arthur Conan Doyle

  CHAPTER XIV.

  A SLIGHT MISUNDERSTANDING.

  The revelation of the real state of the firm's finances was a terribleblow to Ezra Girdlestone. To a man of his overbearing, tempestuousdisposition failure and poverty were bitter things to face. He had beenwont to tread down before him all such little difficulties and obstaclesas came across him in his former life. Now he encountered a greatbarrier which could not be passed so easily, and he raged and chafedbefore it. It made him still more wroth to think that the fault wasnone of his. All his life he had reckoned, as a matter of course, thatwhen his father passed away he would be left almost a millionaire. Asingle half-hour's conversation had shattered this delusion and left himface to face with ruin. He lost his sleep and became restless andhollow-eyed. Once or twice he was seen the worse for drink in thedaytime.

  He was a man of strong character, however, and though somewhatdemoralized by the sudden shock, he threw away no point in the gamewhich he and his father were playing. He saw clearly that only a boldstroke could save them. He therefore threw himself heart and soul intothe diamond scheme, and worked out the details in a masterly manner.The more he looked into it the more convinced he became, not only of itsfeasibility, but of its absolute safety. It seemed as though it werehardly possible that it should fail.

  Among other things he proceeded to qualify himself as a dealer indiamonds. It happened that he was acquainted with one of the partnersof the firm of Fugger & Stoltz, who did the largest import trade inprecious stones. Through his kindness he received practicalinstructions in the variety and value of diamonds, and learned to detectall those little flaws and peculiarities which are only visible to theeye of an expert, and yet are of the highest importance in determinatingthe price of a stone. With such opportunities Ezra made rapid progress,and within a few weeks there were not many dealers in the trade who hada better grasp of the subject.

  Both the Girdlestones recognized that the success of their plan dependedvery largely upon their choice of an agent, and both were of the opinionthat in Major Tobias Clutterbuck they had just the man that they were inwant of. The younger merchant had long felt vaguely that the major'ssocial position, combined with his impecuniosity and the looseness ofhis morality, as inferred from his mode of life, might some day make hima valuable agent under delicate circumstances. As to the old soldier'sown inclinations, Ezra flattered himself that he knew the man's natureto a nicety. It was simply a question of the price to be paid. Nodoubt the figure would be substantial, but he recognized with a trader'sinstinct that the article was a superior one, and he was content toallow for the quality in estimating the value.

  Early one April afternoon the major was strutting down St. James'sStreet, frock-coated and kid-gloved, with protuberant chest andglittering shoes which peeped out from beneath the daintiest of gaiters.Young Girdlestone, who had been on the look-out from a club window, ranacross and intercepted him.

  "How are you, my dear major?" he cried, advancing upon him withoutstretched hand and as much show of geniality as his nature permitted.

  "How d'ye do? How d'ye do?" said the other somewhat pompously. He hadmade up his mind that nothing was to be done with the young man, and yethe was reluctant to break entirely with one whose purse was well linedand who had sporting proclivities.

  "I've been wishing to speak with you for some days, major," said Ezra."When could I see you?"

  "You'll niver see me any plainer than you do at this very moment," theold soldier answered, taking a sidelong glance of suspicion at hiscompanion.

  "Ah, but I wish to speak to you quietly on a matter of business," theyoung merchant persisted. "It's a delicate matter which may need sometalking over, and, above all, it is a private matter."

  "Ged!" said the major, with a wheezy laugh, "you'd have thought Iwanted to borrow money if I had said as much. Look here now, we'll gointo White's private billiard-room, and I'll let you have two hunthredout of five for a tinner--though it's as good as handing you the moneyto offer you such odds. You can talk this over while we play."

  "No, no, major," urged the junior partner. "I tell you it is a matterof the greatest importance to both of us. Can you meet me at Nelson'sCafe at four o'clock? I know the manager, and he'll let us have aprivate room."

  "I'd ask you round to me own little place," the major said, "but it'srather too far. Nelson's at four. Right you are! 'Punctuality is nextto godliness,' as ould Willoughby of the Buffs used to say. You didn'tknow Willoughby, eh? Gad, he was second to a man at Gib in '47.He brought his man on the ground, but the opponents didn't turn up.Two minutes after time Willoughby wanted his man to leave. 'Teach 'empunctuality,' he said. 'Can't be done,' said his man. '_Must_ bedone,' said Willoughby. 'Out of the question,' said the man, andwouldn't budge. Willoughby persisted; there were high words and aquarrel. The docther put 'em up at fifteen paces, and the man shotWilloughby through the calf of the leg. He was a martyr to punctuality.Four o'clock-bye, bye!" The major nodded pleasantly and swaggered away,flourishing his little cane jauntily in the air.

  In spite of his admiration of punctuality, as exemplified in the personof Willoughby of the Buffs, the major took good care to arrive at thetrysting-place somewhat behind the appointed time. It was clear to himthat some service or other was expected of him, and it was obviously hisgame therefore to hang back and not appear to be too eager to enter intoyoung Girdlestone's views. When he presented himself at the entrance ofNelson's Cafe the young merchant had been fuming and chafing in thesitting-room for five and twenty minutes.

  It was a dingy apartment, with a single large horse-hair chair and halfa dozen small wooden dittoes, placed with mathematical precision alongthe walls. A square table in the centre and a shabby mirror over themantelpiece completed the furniture. With the instinct of an oldcampaigner the major immediately dropped into the arm-chair, and,leaning luxuriously back, took a cigar from his case and proceeded tolight it. Ezra Girdlestone seated himself near the table and twistedhis dark moustache, as was his habit when collecting himself.

  "What will you drink?" he asked,

  "Anything that's going."

  "Fetch in a decanter of brandy and some seltzer water," said Ezra to thewaiter; "then shut the door and leave us entirely to ourselves."

  When the liquor was placed upon the table he drank off his first glassat a gulp, and then refilled it. The major placed his upon themantelpiece beside him without tasting it. Both were endeavouring to beat their best and clearest in the coming interview, and each set aboutit in his own manner.

  "I'll tell you why I wanted to have a chat with you, major," Ezra said,having first opened the door suddenly and glanced out as a precautionagainst eavesdroppers. "I have to be cautious, because what I have tosay affects the interest of the firm. I wouldn't for the world have anyone know about it except yourself."

  "What is it, me boy?" the major asked, with languid curiosity, puffingat his weed and staring up at the smoke-blackened ceiling.

  "You understand that in commercial speculations the least breath ofinformation beforehand may mean a loss of thousands on thousands."

  The major nodded his head as a sign that he appreciated this fact.

  "We have a difficult enterprise on which we are about to embark," Ezrasaid, leaning forward and sinking his voice almost to a whisper."It is one which will need great skill and tact, though it may be madeto pay well if properly managed. You follow me?"

  His companion nodded once more.

  "For this enterprise we require an agent to perform one of the principalparts. This agent must possess great ability, and, at the same time, bea man on whom we can thoroughly rely. Of course we do not expect tofind such qualities without paying for them."

  The major grunted a hearty acquiescence.

  "My father," continued Ezra, "wanted to employ one of our own men.We have numbers who are capable in every way of managing the business.I interfered, however. I said that I had a good friend, named MajorTobias Clutter
buck, who was well qualified for the position.I mentioned that you were of the blood of the old Silesian kings. Was Inot right?"

  "Begad you were not. Milesian, sir; Milesian!"

  "Ah, Milesian. It's all the same."

  "It's nothing of the sort," said the major indignantly.

  "I mean it was all the same to my father. He wouldn't know thedifference. Well, I told him of your high descent, and that you were atraveller, a soldier, and a man of steady and trustworthy habits."

  "Eh?" ejaculated the major involuntarily. "Well, all right. Go on!"

  "I told him all this," said Ezra slowly, "and I pointed out to him thatthe sum of money which he was prepared to lay out would be betterexpended on such a man than on one who had no virtues beyond those ofbusiness."

  "I didn't give you credit for so much sinse!" his companion exclaimedwith enthusiasm.

  "I said to him that if the matter were left entirely in your hands wecould rely upon its being done thoroughly. At the same time, we shouldhave the satisfaction of knowing that the substantial sum which we areprepared to pay our agent had come into worthy hands."

  "You hit it there again," murmured the veteran.

  "You are prepared, then," said Ezra, glancing keenly at him, "to putyourself at our orders on condition that you are well paid for it?"

  "Not so fast, me young friend, not so fast!" said the major, taking hiscigar from between his lips and letting the blue smoke curl round hishead. "Let's hear what it is that you want me to do, and then I'm riddyto say what I'll agree to and what I won't. I remimber Jimmy Baxter inTexas--"

  "Hang Jimmy Baxter!" Ezra cried impatiently.

  "That's been done already," observed the major calmly. "Lynched forhorse-stealing in '66. However, go on, and I'll promise not to stop youuntil you have finished."

  Thus encouraged, Ezra proceeded to unfold the plan upon which thefortunes of the House of Girdlestone depended. Not a word did he say ofruin or danger, or the reasons which had induced this speculation.On the contrary, he depicted the affairs of the firm as being in a mostnourishing condition, and this venture as simply a small insignificantoffshoot from their business, undertaken as much for amusement as forany serious purpose. Still, he laid stress upon the fact that thoughthe sum in question was a small one to the firm, yet it was a very largeone in other men's eyes. As to the morality of the scheme, that was apoint which Ezra omitted entirely to touch upon. Any comment upon thatwould, he felt, be superfluous when dealing with such a man as hiscompanion.

  "And now, major," he concluded, "provided you lend us your name and yourtalents to help us in our speculation, the firm are prepared to meet youin a most liberal spirit in the matter of remuneration. Of course yourvoyage and your expenses will be handsomely paid. You will have totravel by steamer to St. Petersburg, provided that we choose the UralMountains as the scene of our imaginary find. I hear that there is highplay going on aboard these boats, and with your well-known skill youwill no doubt be able to make the voyage a remunerative one. Wecalculate that at the most you will be in Russia about three months.Now, the firm thought that it would be very fair if they were toguarantee you two hundred and fifty pounds, which they would increase tofive hundred in case of success; of course by that we mean completesuccess, such as would be likely to attend your exertions."

  Now, had there been any third person in the room during this longstatement of the young merchant's, and had that third person been a manof observation, he might have remarked several peculiarities in themajor's demeanour. At the commencement of the address he might haveposed as the very model and type of respectable composure. As the planwas gradually unfolded, however, the old soldier began to puff harder athis cigar until a continuous thick grey cloud rose up from him, throughwhich the lurid tip of the havannah shone like a murky meteor.From time to time he passed his hand down his puffy cheeks, as was hiscustom when excited. Then he moved uneasily in his chair, cleared histhroat huskily, and showed other signs of restlessness, all of whichwere hailed by Ezra Girdlestone as unmistakable proofs of thecorrectness of his judgment and of the not unnatural eagerness of theveteran on hearing of the windfall which chance had placed in his way.

  When the young man had finished, the major stood up with his face to theempty fire-place, his legs apart, his chest inflated, and his bodyrocking ponderously backwards and forwards.

  "Let me be quite sure that I understand you," he said. "You wish me togo to Russia?"

  "Quite so," Ezra remarked, rubbing his hands pleasantly.

  "You have the goodness to suggist that on me way I should rook mefellow-passengers in the boat?"

  "That is to say, if you think it worth your while."

  "Quite so, if I think it worth me while. I am then to procade acrossthe counthry to some mountains--"

  "The Urals."

  "And there I am to pretind to discover certain diamond mines, and am togive weight to me story by the fact that I am known to be a man of goodbirth, and also by exhibiting some rough stones which you wish me totake out with me from England?"

  "Quite right, major," Ezra said encouragingly.

  "I am then to tilegraph or write this lie to England and git it insertedin the papers?"

  "That's an ugly word," Ezra remonstrated. "This 'report' we will say.A report may be either true or false, you know."

  "And by this report, thin," the major continued, "you reckon that themarket will be so affected that your father and you will be able to buyand sell in a manner that will be profitable to you, but by which youwill do other people out of their money?"

  "You have an unpleasant way of putting it," said Ezra, with a forcedlaugh; "but you have the idea right."

  "I have another idea as well," roared the old soldier, flushing purplewith passion. "I've an idea that if I was twinty years younger I'd seewhether you'd fit through that window, Master Girdlestone. Ged! I'dhave taught you to propose such a schame to a man with blue blood in hisveins, you scounthrel!"

  Ezra fell back in his chair. He was outwardly composed, but there was adangerous glitter in his eye, and his face had turned from a healthyolive to a dull yellow tint.

  "You won't do it?" he gasped.

  "Do it! D'ye think that a man who's worn Her Majesty's scarlet jacketfor twinty years would dirty his hands with such a trick? I tell ye, Iwouldn't do it for all the money that iver was coined. Look here,Girdlestone, I know you, but, by the Lord, you don't know me!"

  The young merchant sat silently in his chair, with the same livid colourupon his face and savage expression in his eyes. Major TobiasClutterbuck stood at the end of the table, stooping forward so as tolean his hands upon it, with his eyes protuberant and his scanty greyfringe in a bristle with indignation.

  "What right had you to come to me with such a proposal? I don't set upfor being a saint, Lord knows, but, be George! I've some morals, such asthey are, and I mean to stick to them. One of me rules of life has beenniver to know a blackgaird, and so, me young friend, from this day forthyou and I go on our own roads. Ged! I'm not particular, but 'you mustdraw the line somewhere,' as me frind, Charlie Monteith, of the IndianHorse, used to say I when he cut his father-in-law. I draw it at you."

  While the major was solemnly delivering himself of these sentiments,Ezra continued to sit watching him in a particularly venomous manner.His straight, cruel lips were blanched with passion, and the veins stoodout upon his forehead. The young man was a famous amateur bruiser, andcould fight a round with any professional in London. The old soldierwould be a child in his hands. As the latter picked up his hatpreparatory to leaving the room, Ezra rose and bolted the door upon theinside. "It's worth five pounds in a police court," he muttered tohimself, and knotting up his great hands, which glittered with rings, heapproached his companion with his head sunk upon his breast, his eyesflashing from under his dark brows, and the slow, stealthy step of abeast of prey. There was a characteristic refinement of cruelty abouthis attack, as though he wished to gloat over the
helplessness of hisvictim, and give him time to realize his position before he set uponhim.

  If such were his intention he failed signally in producing the desiredeffect. The instant the major perceived his manoeuvre he pulled himselfup to his full height, as he might have done on parade, and slipping hishand beneath the tails of his frock-coat, produced a small glitteringimplement, which he levelled straight at the young merchant's head.

  "A revolver!" Ezra gasped, staggering back.

  "No, a derringer," said the veteran blandly. "I got into the thrick ofcarrying one when I was in Colorado, and I have stuck to it ever since.You niver know when it may be useful." As he spoke he continued to holdthe black muzzle of his pistol in a dead line with the centre of theyoung man's forehead, and to follow the latter's movements with a handwhich was as steady as a rock. Ezra was no coward, but he ceased hisadvance and stood irresolute.

  "Now, thin," cried the major, in sharp military accents, "undo thatdoor."

  The young merchant took one look at the threatening apoplectic face ofhis antagonist, and another at the ugly black spot which covered him.He stooped, and pushed back the bolt.

  "Now, open it! Ged, if you don't look alive I'll have to blow a hole inyou afther all. You wouldn't be the first man I've killed, nor the lastmaybe."

  Ezra opened the door precipitately.

  "Now walk before me into the strate."

  It struck the waiters at Nelson's well-known restaurant as a somewhatcurious thing that their two customers should walk out with such verygrave faces and in so unsociable a manner. "C'est la froideurAnglaise!" remarked little Alphonse Lefanue to a fellow exile as theypaused in the laying of tables to observe the phenomenon. Neither ofthem noticed that the stout gentleman behind with his hand placedjauntily in the breast of his coat, was still clutching the brown handleof a pistol.

  There was a hansom standing at the door and Major Clutterbuck steppedinto it.

  "Look ye here, Girdlestone," he said, as the latter stood lookingsulkily up and down the street. "You should learn a lesson from this.Never attack a man unless you're sure that he's unarmed. You may gitshot, if you do."

  Ezra continued to stare gloomily into vacancy and took no notice of hislate companion's remark.

  "Another thing," said the major. "You must niver take it for grantedthat every man you mate is as great a blackgaird as yourself."

  The young merchant gave him a malignant glance from his dark eyes andwas turning to go, but the gentleman in the cab stretched out his handto detain him.

  "One more lesson," he said. "Never funk a pistol unless you are surethere's a carthridge inside. Mine hadn't. Drive on, cabby!"With which parting shot the gallant major rattled away down Piccadillywith a fixed determination never again to leave his rooms without a fewof Eley's No 4 central fires in his pocket.