Oh, no, he says, nothing o the kind; only just sign yer name. Its me as is bound; and if anything went wrong, why, theyd come upon me, and so on, yer know. Dont yer see?
No! I says, taking off my glasses, and rubbin em on my leather apron No, I says, I cant quite.
Why, he says, its five pound as Im going to borrow; and they lends it me on my own pussonal security; but just to show as Im the right sort, I get two spectable tradesmen to put down their names. Dont yer see? I could get plenty to do it, only I dont want every one to know. You see now, dont you?
No, I says, I cant somehow.
Why, he says, its all right, man, and he gives me a slap on the shoulder. Im going to pay it back by stalments, and I shall pay yer cash for them boots when I gets the money, and itll be doing us both a good turn. Theres the line just along there J. Weltus, Pull-Down Court. Dont you be in a stew; theres nothing to be feard on. Its me as theyd come on, I tell you. Your signing yer name along that line is only a form, and its me theyd sell up. Now dont you see? I shall give you the order for them boots o Monday.
But, do you know, Im blest if I could see it then; and though he tried a bit more, he couldnt make me see it. Long course o roughing it in the worlds made my eyes dull, yer know; and, last of all, Jinks doubles up his papers, and goes out quite huffy; while I gets ready a fresh pair of ends and goes on with a job I had in hand, when every time I pulls the threads home I gives a good hard grunt, and goes on analysing Bob Jinks, and wondering what it would all come to. Holiday now and thens all werry well, I says, but Rye House, Ampton Court, and Gravesend on Mondays wont do even if a man does make six-and-thirty bob a week. Masters dont like their hands to be allus going out, and besides, it dont look well to take a soot o clothes out on Saturday night, and stuff em up the spout again on Toosdays or Wensdays; and arter analysing a good deal, I couldnt help finding as Bob Jinks was one of them chaps as helped pay for Mrs Shortnips satin dress at the Rising Sun. Hal, a pint o beers good, I says to myself, and I dont object to a pipe with it; but have the work done first. Thats my motter.
Dont begin them boots till I gives yer the order, says Jinks, as he goes out.
No, I says, I shant; nor I didnt neither, for I couldnt see the Jos Miller of it, and somehow or another Jinks never come inside my place again.
I was on the look-out, though, and I suppose he did make some one see all about it, and got him to sign; for two months arter there was a snuffy-looking old foggy-eyed chap a-stopping in his lodgings, and a little while arter two o Levy Hamans men was fetching the furnitur down, and I saw sevral things as must ha been his at the brokers shop at the corner; for they do say as these loan cieties are precious hard on any one as gets behind with the payments, and ll eat you outer house and home. But, bless yer, its no ciety in most cases, but some precious hook-beaked knowing one as is company, directors, and sekketary all in himself and lives on the interest and sellings up of them as gets into his claws. Taint often as they do lend anything, but when they do they makes theirselves safe enough by getting about three names and a plugging rate of interest; and then, good luck to yer if yer dont pay up. Gettin things on ticks all werry well, but though they call it so, taint no credit to nobody; and thats what I say; and if I aint right, my name aint J. Weltus.
Chapter Eight. My Fare
None o your poor, broken-kneed knackers for me. I takes my money in to the governor regular, and told him flat that if I couldnt have a decent horse, I wouldnt drive; and I spoke a bit sharp, having worked for him ten years.
Take your chice, Steve Wilkins, he says; and I took it, and drove Kangaroo, the wall-eyed horse with a rat tail.
I had a call one day off the stand by the Foundling, and
has to go into New Ormond Street, close by; and I takes up an old widow lady and her daughter as beautiful a girl of seventeen or eighteen as ever I set eyes on, but so weak that I had to go and help her down to the cab, when she thanked me so sweetly that I couldnt help looking again and again, for it was a thing I wasnt used to.
Drive out towards the country, cabman, the nearest way, says the old lady; and when we want to turn back, Ill speak.
Poor gal! I says, shes an invalid. Shes just such a one as my Fan would have been if shed lived; and I says this to myself as I gets on to my box, feeling quite soft; for though I knew my gal wouldnt have been handsome, what did that matter? I didnt like to lose her.
Lets see, I says again, she wants fresh air. Well go up the hill, and through Hampstead; and I touches Kangaroo on the flank, and away we goes, and I picks out all the nicest bits I could, and when I comes across a pretty bit of view I pulls up, and pretends as theres a strap wanted tightening, or a hoof picking, or a fresh knot at the end of the whip, and so on. Then I goes pretty quickly along the streety bits, and walks very slowly along the green lanes; and so we goes on for a good hour, when the old lady pushes the lid open with her parasol, and tells me to turn back.