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THE CHIMES. 99 |
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Toby, who had been looking after Meg, quite stupidly, made shift to murmur out that he was very quick, and very strong.
" How old are you ?" inquired the Alderman.
" I'm over sixty, Sir," said Toby.
"0! This man's a great deal past the average age, you know," cried Mr. Filer, breaking in as if his patience would bear some trying, but this really was carrying matters a little too far.
" I feel I'm intruding, Sir," said Toby. " I—I misdoubted it this morning. Oh dear me ! "
The Alderman cut him short by giving him the letter from his pocket. Toby would have got a shilling too; but Mr. Filer clearly showing that in that case he would rob a certain given number of persons of ninepence-halfpenny a-piece, he only got sixpence ; and thought himself very well off to get that.
Then the Alderman gave an arm to each of his friends, and walked off in high feather; but he immediately came hurrying back alone, as if he had forgotten something.
" Porter !" said the Alderman.
" Sir ! " said Toby.
"Take care of that daughter of yours. She's much too handsome."
" Even her good looks are stolen from somebody or other I suppose," thought Toby, looking at the sixpence in his hand, and thinking of the tripe. "She's been and robbed five hundred ladies of a bloom a-piece, I shouldn't wonder. It's very dreadful!"
" She's much too handsome, my man," repeated the Alderman. "The chances are, that she'll come to no good, I clearly see. Observe what I say. Take care of her !" With which, he hurried off again.
*" Wrong every way. Wrong every way ! " said Trotty, clasping his hands. " Born bad. No business here ! "
The Chimes came clashing in upon him as he said the words. Full, loud, and sounding—but with no encouragement. No, not a drop.
" The tune's changed," cried the old man, as he listened. " There's not a word of all that fancy in it. Why should there be ? I have no business with the New Year nor with the old one neither. Let me die ! "
Still the Bells, pealing forth their changes, made the very air spin. Put 'em down, Put 'em down ! Good old Times, Good old Times ! Facts and Figures, Facts and Figures ! Put 'em down, Put 'em down ! If they said anything they said this, till the brain of Toby reeled. |
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