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"Why," he said in a surprised voice, "it's Mr. Jolyon Forsyte! So it is! Haven't seen you, sir, for years. Dear me! Times aren't what they were. Why! you and your brother, and that auctioneer Mr. Traquair, and Mr. Nicholas Treffry you used to have six or seven stalls here regular every season. And how are you, sir? We don't get younger!"
Here was a pretty to-do; and, he was just wondering whether he should solve the Gordian knot by cutting and running, when, luckily, a man without a hat rushed in breathlessly from a neighbouring store, and coming up to the auctioneer, asked him if the wine was sold yet. "You're a bit too late," replied the master of the rostrum, pointing out Larkyns to his astonished gaze.
Some parts of it were slightly mildewed from dampness; on one side several of the buttons were gone, and others were broken or cracked; while, alas! my many mad endeavours to rub it black on the decks had now imparted to the whole garment an exceedingly untidy appearance. Such as it was, with all its faults, the auctioneer displayed it.
Pierre who not being able to write, was in the habit of drawing pictures to express his thoughts nudged his elbow and showed him a sketch of a man in a box waving his arms. 'Auctioneer? hazarded Mr Villiers, looking at this keenly. Pierre stared at him blankly; his comprehension of English was none of the best, so he did not know what auctioneer meant.
When he rode up to the yard everybody stared at him, and one or two of the diggers laughed and began to call out 'Joe. Jim and I thought how sold some of them would have been if he turned on them and they'd found out who it was. However, he pushed up to the auctioneer, without looking out right or left, and drawled 'May I er ask if you are Mr. er Joseph Stevenson?
You may have John Holden, appraiser and auctioneer, in to set a price on them if yo' will; or yo' may look over books and bills; or, better still, do both, and so check one again t'other; but for t' sake o' making the ground o' the bargain, I state the sum as above; and I reckon it so much capital left in yo'r hands for the use o' which yo're bound to pay us five per cent. quarterly that's one hundred and seven pound ten per annum at least for t' first year; and after it will be reduced by the gradual payment on our money, which must be at the rate of twenty per cent., thus paying us our principal back in five years.
The other man hesitated, and the auctioneer, who seemed to know him, asked him to bid up. "This uniform is worth a hundred dollars if it's worth a cent, Mr. Talbot," he said. "I'll give you seventy-five dollars cash or five hundred on a credit," said Talbot; "now which will you take?"
He hurried to the Faubourg Saint Honore, to the house formerly occupied by the Baroness de Watchau, and there found a good-natured concierge, who at once informed him that after the Baroness's death her furniture and personal effects had been taken to the great auction mart in the Rue Drouot; the sale being conducted by M. Petit, the eminent auctioneer.
He turned to the girl, who might have stood to a sculptor for a figure of despair. Her hands were folded in front of her, her head bowed down. The auctioneer put his hand under her chin and raised it roughly. "Cheer up, my gal," he said, "you ain't got nothing to blubber about now." Hester's breast heaved and from her black eyes there shot a magnificent look of defiance. He laughed.
Money was needed for the laddies who were going needed for all sorts of things. To buy them small comforts, and tobacco, and such things as the government might not be supplying them. And so they asked me to be their auctioneer. I played a fine trick upon them there in Christchurch. But I was not ashamed of myself, and I think they have forgi'en me those good bodies at Christchurch!
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