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The honoured bailiff brought the bill, but with regard to his being free, said it was impossible. "How impossible?" said Mrs. Walker, turning very red: and then very pale. "Did I not pay just now?" "So you did, and you've got the reshipt; but there's another detainer against the Captain for a hundred and fifty. Eglantine and Mossrose, of Bond Street; perfumery for five years, you know."
As he had passed the Bower of Bloom a few days before, he saw Mossrose, who was combing out a jet-black ringlet, and held it up, as if for Woolsey's examination, with a peculiar grin. The tailor did not understand the joke, but he saw now what had happened. Morgiana had sold her hair for five guineas; she would have sold her arm had her husband bidden her.
For some reason or other, the Captain was particularly good-humoured; and, quite forgetful of the words which had passed between him and Mr. Eglantine's lieutenant the day before, began addressing the latter with extreme cordiality. "A good morning to you, Mr. Mossrose," said Captain Walker. "Why, sir, you look as fresh as your namesake you do, indeed, now, Mossrose."
What Mr. Eglantine's relations were with Mr. Walker may be imagined from the following dialogue which took place between the two gentlemen at five o'clock one summer's afternoon, when Mr. Walker, issuing from his chambers, came across to the perfumer's shop: "Is Eglantine at home, Mr. Mossrose?" said Walker to the foreman, who sat in the front shop. Walker.
"You look ash yellow ash a guinea," responded Mr. Mossrose, sulkily. He thought the Captain was hoaxing him. "My good sir," replies the other, nothing cast down, "I drank rather too freely last night." "The more beast you!" said Mr. Mossrose. "Thank you, Mossrose; the same to you," answered the Captain.
He felt as if he had known her thoughts from childhood. Her young womanhood was like that of the roses he had shown to her in the dewy June dawn that seemed so long ago. Burt had never touched her heart. It was still like a bud of his favorite mossrose, wrapped in its green calyx. Oh, what a wealth of fragrant beauty would be revealed! Now it might be revealed to him.
It was for the very same reason, too, that he had made the attempt at reconciliation with Mr. Mossrose which had just so signally failed. Nor would the reader, did he know Mr. W. better, at all require to have the above explanation; but as yet we are only at the first chapter of his history, and who is to know what the hero's motives can be unless we take the trouble to explain?
"They'll settle the whole debt for twenty pounds," said he, and showed an order to that effect from Mr. Mossrose to Mr. Bendigo, empowering the latter to release Walker on receiving Mr. Woolsey's acknowledgment for the above sum. "There's no use paying it," said Mr. Walker, doggedly; "it would only be robbing you, Mr. Woolsey seven more detainers have come in while my wife has been away.
"Well, if Pike's were paid; and the Minories' man paid, and every single liability I have cleared off; and that Mossrose flung out of winder, and me and my emporium as free as hair?" "You don't say so? Is Queen Anne dead? and has she left you a fortune? or what's the luck in the wind now?" "It's better than Queen Anne, or anybody dying.
And so a second writ was taken out against Captain Walker. "You'll have his wife here very likely in a day or two," said Mr. Mossrose to his partner; "them chaps always sends their wives, and I hope you know how to deal with her." "I don't value her a fig's hend," said Eglantine. "I'll treat her like the dust of the hearth.
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