第12章

How quaint they were, those home-made rooms! They rise out of the shadows and shape themselves again before my eyes.I see the knobbly sofa; the easy-chairs that might have been designed by the Grand Inquisitor himself; the dented settle that was a bed by night;the few blue plates, purchased in the slums off Wardour Street; the enamelled stool to which one always stuck; the mirror framed in silk; the two Japanese fans crossed beneath each cheap engraving;the piano cloth embroidered in peacock's feathers by Annie's sister;the tea-cloth worked by Cousin Jenny.We dreamt, sitting on those egg-boxes--for we were young ladies and gentlemen with artistic taste--of the days when we would eat in Chippendale dining-rooms;sip our coffee in Louis Quatorze drawing-rooms; and be happy.Well, we have got on, some of us, since then, as Mr.Bumpus used to say;and I notice, when on visits, that some of us have contrived so that we do sit on Chippendale chairs, at Sheraton dining-tables, and are warmed from Adam's fireplaces; but, ah me, where are the dreams, the hopes, the enthusiasms that clung like the scent of a March morning about those gim-crack second floors? In the dustbin, I fear, with the cretonne-covered egg-boxes and the penny fans.Fate is so terribly even-handed.As she gives she ever takes away.She flung us a few shillings and hope, where now she doles us out pounds and fears.Why did not we know how happy we were, sitting crowned with sweet conceit upon our egg-box thrones?

Yes, Dick, you have climbed well.You edit a great newspaper.You spread abroad the message--well, the message that Sir Joseph Goldbug, your proprietor, instructs you to spread abroad.You teach mankind the lessons that Sir Joseph Goldbug wishes them to learn.

They say he is to have a peerage next year.I am sure he has earned it; and perhaps there may be a knighthood for you, Dick.

Tom, you are getting on now.You have abandoned those unsaleable allegories.What rich art patron cares to be told continually by his own walls that Midas had ass's ears; that Lazarus sits ever at the gate? You paint portraits now, and everybody tells me you are the coming man.That "Impression" of old Lady Jezebel was really wonderful.The woman looks quite handsome, and yet it is her ladyship.Your touch is truly marvellous.

But into your success, Tom--Dick, old friend, do not there creep moments when you would that we could fish up those old egg-boxes from the past, refurnish with them the dingy rooms in Camden Town, and find there our youth, our loves, and our beliefs?

An incident brought back to my mind, the other day, the thought of all these things.I called for the first time upon a man, an actor, who had asked me to come and see him in the little home where he lives with his old father.To my astonishment--for the craze, Ibelieve, has long since died out--I found the house half furnished out of packing cases, butter tubs, and egg-boxes.My friend earns his twenty pounds a week, but it was the old father's hobby, so he explained to me, the making of these monstrosities; and of them he was as proud as though they were specimen furniture out of the South Kensington Museum.

He took me into the dining-room to show me the latest outrage--a new book-case.A greater disfigurement to the room, which was otherwise prettily furnished, could hardly be imagined.There was no need for him to assure me, as he did, that it had been made out of nothing but egg-boxes.One could see at a glance that it was made out of egg-boxes, and badly constructed egg-boxes at that--egg-boxes that were a disgrace to the firm that had turned them out; egg-boxes not worthy the storage of "shop 'uns" at eighteen the shilling.

We went upstairs to my friend's bedroom.He opened the door as a man might open the door of a museum of gems.

"The old boy," he said, as he stood with his hand upon the door-knob, "made everything you see here, everything," and we entered.He drew my attention to the wardrobe."Now I will hold it up," he said, "while you pull the door open; I think the floor must be a bit uneven, it wobbles if you are not careful." It wobbled notwithstanding, but by coaxing and humouring we succeeded without mishap.I was surprised to notice a very small supply of clothes within, although my friend is a dressy man.

"You see," he explained, "I dare not use it more than I can help.Iam a clumsy chap, and as likely as not, if I happened to be in a hurry, I'd have the whole thing over:" which seemed probable.

I asked him how he contrived."I dress in the bath-room as a rule,"he replied; "I keep most of my things there.Of course the old boy doesn't know."He showed me a chest of drawers.One drawer stood half open.

"I'm bound to leave that drawer open," he said; "I keep the things Iuse in that.They don't shut quite easily, these drawers; or rather, they shut all right, but then they won't open.It is the weather, I think.They will open and shut all right in the summer, I dare say." He is of a hopeful disposition.

But the pride of the room was the washstand.

"What do you think of this?" cried he enthusiastically, "real marble top--"He did not expatiate further.In his excitement he had laid his hand upon the thing, with the natural result that it collapsed.

More by accident than design I caught the jug in my arms.I also caught the water it contained.The basin rolled on its edge and little damage was done, except to me and the soap-box.

I could not pump up much admiration for this washstand; I was feeling too wet.

"What do you do when you want to wash?" I asked, as together we reset the trap.

There fell upon him the manner of a conspirator revealing secrets.

He glanced guiltily round the room; then, creeping on tip-toe, he opened a cupboard behind the bed.Within was a tin basin and a small can.