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Why! it seemed as though the dog must have been trained for just that trick. He never missed a bite! When his appetite was satisfied the mongrel began to try to attract Purt's attention. Every time Purt reached for anything, the Barnacle's cold, wet nose was right there! It was a plain case of "love at first sight," as Bobby remarked.
I was vaguely conscious of the titters of the clerks behind me, of the angry grip of Doubleday on one side of me, and of Smith's solemn and horrified face on the other, and the next moment I was standing with my friend in front of Mr Barnacle's awful desk. He regarded me sternly for a moment or two, during which I suffered indescribable anguish of mind. "What is the meaning of this?" said he.
Mrs Gowan, looking over her green fan when this young gentleman's name was mentioned, replied as follows: 'My love, you know the wretched state of the country those unfortunate concessions of John Barnacle's! and you therefore know the reasons for my being as poor as Thingummy. 'A church mouse? Mrs Merdle suggested with a smile.
This unexpected remark, which of course was a delicate way of calling everybody's attention to my rueful countenance, served to put all the rest of the company except myself at their ease, and Mr Barnacle's entrance a minute afterwards put an end for the time to any further conversation. But the day dragged on miserably. What must Jack think of me?
"Which is better off, the roving young fellow who is sowing his wild oats, or the man who has settled down, and become a respectable landowner with a good house over his head?" "And begun to propagate his species? Well, you have me there, sir, as far as this life is concerned; but you will confess that the barnacle's history proves that all crawling grubs don't turn into butterflies."
"You're under my orders here, and you'll do what I tell you." "I'm under Mr Barnacle's orders," said Jack, going on with his writing. "You mean to say you're not going to do what I tell you?" asked Harris, in a rage. "I'm going to do what's right that's all," said Smith, quietly. "Right! You humbug! You're a nice respectable fellow to talk about right to us, Mr Gaol-bird!
I really meant it for the best, because I knew you could not pay, and I was afraid if it came to my uncle's or Mr Barnacle's knowledge it might be awkward for you, for I happen to know my uncle feels very strongly about clerks getting into debt, especially through gambling. I'm afraid I can't undo what has been done, for Wallop will hardly give me back the money.
I asked him what he was doing here. He seemed very much disconcerted, and said he had been looking for some papers he had left on Mr Barnacle's table the day before. I asked him what he had been doing with the safe, and where he had got the key to open it. He got into a great state, and begged me to say nothing about it. I said I was bound to tell you what I had seen.
There was a pause, then I heard Jack get off his stool and march boldly to the door. He came out and passed solemnly through our office to the door of Mr Barnacle's room, which he entered. Next moment Mr Barnacle came out, very red in the face, and demanded, in a loud voice, "Who is it using the entry-book? Didn't you hear me say the copies were to be made at once, sir? Let Smith have the book."
It sounded logical. The arguments with which an unselfish, honest fellow deceives himself into wrong-doing always do bear quite a lot of investigation. But I was at sea before the mast once, where I learned painfully that the captain commands the ship; not even the notions of the buckiest bucko mate amount to as much as a barnacle's bootlace if the old man disagrees from them.
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