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Jasper was walking along the Strand one afternoon, when he saw his ingenious friend approaching him in a manner scarcely to be accounted for, unless Whelpdale's abstemiousness had for once given way before convivial invitation. The young man's hat was on the back of his head, and his coat flew wildly as he rushed forwards with perspiring face and glaring eyes.
'Not in Whelpdale's sense of the word. But, strictly speaking, no doubt he is. The quarter-educated constitute a very large class indeed; how large, the huge success of that paper is demonstrating. I'll write to Whelpdale, and let him know that his benefaction has extended even to Sark. This letter was written, and in a few days there came a reply.
Happiness is the nurse of virtue. 'And independence the root of happiness. 'True. "The glorious privilege of being independent" yes, Burns understood the matter. Go to the piano, dear, and play me something. If I don't mind, I shall fall into Whelpdale's vein, and talk about my "blessedness". Ha! isn't the world a glorious place? 'For rich people. 'Yes, for rich people.
He read Whelpdale's letter aloud; it was facetious, but oddly respectful. 'The reverence that fellow has for me is astonishing, he observed with a laugh. 'The queer thing is, it increases the better he knows me. Dora laughed for five minutes. 'Oh, what a splendid epigram! she exclaimed. 'It is indeed a queer thing, Jasper!
It was clear that the quarter-educated would soon be abundantly provided with literature to their taste. Whelpdale's exultation was unbounded, but in the fifth week of the life of Chit-Chat something happened which threatened to overturn his sober reason.
Whelpdale's noteworthy idea triumphed; the weekly paper called Chat was thoroughly transformed, and appeared as Chit-Chat.
'Too good of you to have asked me to come, he said with gratitude to Jasper, who went to the door with him. 'You are a happy man, by Jove! A happy man! When Jasper returned to the room his sisters had vanished. Marian stood by the fire. He drew near to her, took her hands, and repeated laughingly Whelpdale's last words. 'Is it true? she asked. 'Tolerably true, I think.
At the present juncture Whelpdale's cheery flattery was a distinct assistance; it helped to support Jasper in his self-confidence, and to keep the brightest complexion on the prospect to which he had committed himself. 'Whelpdale is anxious to make Marian's acquaintance, Jasper said to his sisters one day. 'Shall we have him here tomorrow evening? 'Just as you like, Maud replied.
'Not at all. She had heard the story of Whelpdale's hapless wooing half a year ago, and her recollection of it explained the smile with which she spoke. 'Never get on, I'm afraid, Jasper pursued. 'He has his allowance of twenty pounds a year, and makes perhaps fifty or sixty more. If I were in his position, I should go in for some kind of regular business; he has people who could help him.
Under the name of Fleet & Co., this business was shortly set on foot, and Whelpdale's services were retained on satisfactory terms. The birth of the syndicate system had given new scope to literary agencies, and Mr Fleet was a man of keen eye for commercial opportunities. 'Well, have you read Biffen's book? asked Jasper. 'Wonderful, isn't it! A work of genius, I am convinced.
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