Page:Once a Week Volume V.djvu/369

 362 accompaniment of a guitar, which a mamma produced out of one of the carriages. Meanwhile, alas! my Knights of the Round Table were getting most desperately drunk in the smithy.

The shades of eve were falling fast by the time we left the mine; my new friends kindly offered me a lift to Moleville, and packed me up comfortably in an empty hamper at the back of one of the vehicles. As we drove off, the miners all came out of the smithy, hurraing with great uncertainty of voice, and waving their hats enthusiastically; in fact they waved everything about them. We made rather a pretty procession through the lovely Blankshire lanes, as the sun was setting and the trees were swerving overhead with a beautiful rushing noise; the ladies leaned back with their arms round each others’ waists, and the gentlemen smiled and nodded majestically, like powerful gods in dalliance. As we lost sight of the mine I heard the men cheering me vociferously; and I swayed to and fro in my food-basket with a delightful reckless feeling that everything in life was jolly, especially business. The chairman informed me that “It was the hour when lovers’ vows seem sweet in ev’ry whispered word,” and another director told me that I was to return to London next day, and hold myself in readiness for something, which I did not catch on account of the chairman’s quotation. I answered, “As in præsenti perfectum format in avi,” and that I would hold myself in readiness for any mortal thing they could suggest.

When we arrived at Moleville, the ladies left us, and we men finished the evening together, I believe, at the hotel; indeed, the effect of the day’s excitement and beautiful ride home on my peculiarly impressive temperament, made the rest of that evening a mystery to me, and I have no doubt to one or two gentlemen of the managing committee besides.

Next morning we all breakfasted together in the large room of the hotel. Some of the directors made their meal entirely off soda-water—half-a-dozen bottles at least. I think they had two or three headaches, for they complained of the relaxing nature of the climate. The ladies, however, were charmingly brisk and amiable, and I was getting wonderfully fond of the whole lot. But alas! the time for parting was at hand, and by the time I had finished my bottle of soda-water, I perceived that the carriages were at the door, which were to convey them all to a neighbouring watering-place. The parting was very affectionate on both sides; they all expressed themselves much delighted with me, and were profuse in their invitations and offers of hospitality, especially the military gentleman, who had invented that funny machine. The chairman told me to prepare a clever matter-of-fact report, in such a way that the shareholders should perceive that everything had been done that could have been done—no stone left unturned—no useless expense incurred, adding that he really took a paternal interest in me, and that possibly my prospects in life might in a measure depend on the way in which I should manage this important, and he might say, delicate business.

Everybody else said things to the same purpose, and as they drove away, after many shakings of hands and mutual good wishes, the chairman turned round on his box, and said: “Verbum sap.—my dear boy—Fare thee well!”

I felt very sad at their departure; we had all seemed to get on together so well, and understand each other so capitally; the only slight thing I couldn’t quite understand was “verbum sap.” and who “sap.” was.

So I turned with a sigh towards the mine, where I had another parting scene to go through with my merrie men. When I got there, I found they all knew that I was leaving them, and had even scented out that their services would not be available much longer on that particular mine. All this made them very gloomy indeed, and I did my best to cheer them up by a little farewell speech, which made me feel very much inclined to shed tears. They had packed up my few chemicals in the trap which was to convey me to the stage-coach, and among them many little presents and tokens of remembrance. One gave me a tobacco pouch, another a short black pipe, which I determined not to use till age had made my constitution stronger. The captain presented me with a small Testament, and the smith with two little jars of cream for my mother; even Hodge, who was the poorest of the poor, pressed upon my acceptance a beautiful dead snake, which emitted a very powerful odour.

Several of them walked by the side of my trap for a little way, and when I finally shook hands with them, after a little go of whiskey all round, I thought what a jolly thing it would be to go off mining to Australia together, and meet with a lot of adventures—I to be the desperado captain of the gang.

At the hotel where the stage-coach stopped, I found several of my country friends, who had come to wish me good bye. I recollect inviting them all to my father’s house in London, and shaking hands over and over again, and having several parting cups with them;—after which the stage-coach started, and I don’t recollect whether I rode inside or out.

Next morning I was in London, under the paternal roof and amidst the maternal caresses. After I had given a minute account of my proceedings over the family breakfast table, during which his majesty my dear papa was often graciously moved to laughter, he expressed great satisfaction at my conduct (I omitted a few unimportant details, of course, such as our bacchic performances at the hotel, which I reserved for the entertainment of my own particular pals); my mother listened with affectionate gravity, and sometimes shook her head—but in the eyes of my sister, who had just recently attained the dignity of long petticoats and womanhood (after an attack of the measles, which had taken place during my absence) I was evidently a sort of hero, to be treated henceforward with a certain deference.

About a week was to elapse before the much-dreaded meeting of the shareholders; and my father and I set to work together on my report, which was to be a marvel of scientific clearness and precision. My sister was amanuensis, and my mother sat by to soften the little crudities; and