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My aunt； in a few days； wrote a pretty gracious reply to my letter。 She
had not determined； she said； as to the manner in which she should employ
her three thousand pounds； but should take my offer into consideration；
begging me to keep my shares open for a little while； until her mind was
made up。
What； then； does Mr。 Brough do？ I learned afterwards； in the year
1830； when he and the West Diddlesex Association had disappeared
altogether； how he had proceeded。
〃Who are the attorneys at Slopperton？〃 says he to me in a careless
way。
〃Mr。 Ruck； sir；〃 says I； 〃is the Tory solicitor； and Messrs。 Hodge and
Smithers the Liberals。〃 I knew them very well； for the fact is； before
Mary Smith came to live in our parts； I was rather partial to Miss Hodge；
and her great gold…coloured ringlets； but Mary came and soon put HER
nose out of joint； as the saying is。
〃And you are of what politics？〃
〃Why； sir； we are Liberals。〃 I was rather ashamed of this； for Mr。
Brough was an out…and…out Tory； but Hodge and Smithers is a most
respectable firm。 I brought up a packet from them to Hickson； Dixon；
Paxton； and Jackson； OUR solicitors； who are their London
correspondents。
Mr。 Brough only said； 〃Oh； indeed！〃 and did not talk any further on the
subject； but began admiring my diamond…pin very much。
〃Titmarsh； my dear boy；〃 says he； 〃I have a young lady at Fulham who
is worth seeing； I assure you； and who has heard so much about you from
her father （for I like you； my boy； I don't care to own it）； that she is rather
anxious to see you too。 Suppose you come down to us for a week？
Abednego will do your work。〃
〃Law； sir！ you are very kind；〃 says I。
〃Well； you shall come down； and I hope you will like my claret。 But
hark ye！ I don't think； my dear fellow； you are quite smart enoughquite
well enough dressed。 Do you understand me？〃
〃I've my blue coat and brass buttons at home； sir。〃
〃What！ that thing with the waist between your shoulders that you wore
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at Mrs。 Brough's party？〃 （It WAS rather high…waisted； being made in the
country two years before。） 〃Nono； that will never do。 Get some new
clothes； sir；two new suits of clothes。〃
〃Sir！〃 says I； 〃I'm already； if the truth must be told； very short of
money for this quarter； and can't afford myself a new suit for a long time
to come。〃
〃Pooh； pooh！ don't let that annoy you。 Here's a ten…pound note but
no； on second thoughts； you may as well go to my tailor's。 I'll drive you
down there： and never mind the bill； my good lad！〃 And drive me down
he actually did； in his grand coach…and…four； to Mr。 Von Stiltz； in Clifford
Street； who took my measure； and sent me home two of the finest coats
ever seen； a dress…coat and a frock； a velvet waist…coat； a silk ditto； and
three pairs of pantaloons； of the most beautiful make。 Brough told me to
get some boots and pumps； and silk stockings for evenings； so that when
the time came for me to go down to Fulham； I appeared as handsome as
any young nobleman； and Gus said that 〃I looked； by Jingo； like a regular
tip…top swell。〃
In the meantime the following letter had been sent down to Hodge and
Smithers：…
〃RAM ALLEY； CORNHILL； LONDON： July 1822。
〃DEAR SIRS；
* * *
＇This part being on private affairs relative to the cases of Dixon v。
Haggerstony； Snodgrass v。 Rubbidge and another； I am not permitted to
extract。＇
* * *
〃Likewise we beg to hand you a few more prospectuses of the
Independent West Diddlesex Fire and Life Insurance Company； of which
we have the honour to be the solicitors in London。 We wrote to you last
year； requesting you to accept the Slopperton and Somerset agency for the
same； and have been expecting for some time back that either shares or
assurances should be effected by you。
〃The capital of the Company； as you know； is five millions sterling
（say 5；000；000L。）； and we are in a situation to offer more than the usual
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commission to our agents of the legal profession。 We shall be happy to
give a premium of 6 per cent。 for shares to the amount of 1；000L。； 6。5 per
cent。 above a thousand； to be paid immediately upon the taking of the
shares。
〃I am； dear Sirs； for self and partners； 〃Yours most faithfully；
〃SAMUEL JACKSON。〃
This letter； as I have said； came into my hands some time afterwards。
I knew nothing of it in the year 1822； when； in my new suit of clothes； I
went down to pass a week at the Rookery； Fulham； residence of John
Brough； Esquire； M。P。
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CHAPTER VII
HOW SAMUEL TITMARSH REACHED THE HIGHEST
POINT OF PROSPERITY
If I had the pen of a George Robins； I might describe the Rookery
properly： suffice it； however； to say it is a very handsome country place；
with handsome lawns sloping down to the river； handsome shrubberies
and conservatories； fine stables； outhouses； kitchen…gardens； and
everything belonging to a first…rate rus in urbe； as the great auctioneer
called it when he hammered it down some years after。
I arrived on a Saturday at half…an…hour before dinner： a grave
gentleman out of livery showed me to my room； a man in a chocolate coat
and gold lace； with Brough's crest on the buttons； brought me a silver
shaving…pot of hot water on a silver tray； and a grand dinner was ready at
six； at which I had the honour of appearing in Von Stiltz's dress…coat and
my new silk stockings and pumps。
Brough took me by the hand as I came in； and presented me to his lady；
a stout fair…haired woman； in light blue satin； then to his daughter； a tall；
thin； dark…eyed girl； with beetle…brows； looking very ill…natured； and about
eighteen。
〃Belinda my love；〃 said her papa； 〃this young gentleman is one of my
clerks； who was at our ball。〃
〃Oh； indeed！〃 says Belinda； tossing up her head。
〃But not a common clerk； Miss Belinda；so； if you please； we will
have none of your aristocratic airs with him。 He is a nephew of the
Countess of Drum； and I hope he will soon be very high in our
establishment； and in the city of London。〃
At the name of Countess （I had a dozen times rectified the error about
our relationship）； Miss Belinda made a low curtsey； and stared at me very
hard； and said she would try and make the Rookery pleasant to any friend
of Papa's。 〃We have not much MONDE to…day；〃 continued Miss Brough；
〃and are only in petit comite； but I hope before you leave us you will see
some societe that will make your sejour agreeable。〃
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I saw at once that she was a fashionable girl； from her using the French
language in this way。
〃Isn't she a fine girl？〃 said Brough； whispering to me； and evidently as
proud of her as a man could be。 〃Isn't she a fine girleh； you dog？ Do
you see breeding like that in Somersetshire？〃
〃No； sir； upon my word！〃 answered I； rather slily； for I was thinking
all the while how 〃Somebody〃 was a thousand times more beautiful；
simple； and ladylike。
〃And what has my dearest love been doing all day？〃 said her papa。
〃Oh； Pa！ I have PINCED the harp a little to Captain Fizgig's flute。
Didn't I； Captain Fizgig？〃
Captain the Honourable Francis Fizgig said； 〃Yes； Brough； your fair
daughter PINCED the harp； and TOUCHED the piano； and
EGRATIGNED the guitar； and ECORCHED a song or two； and we had
the pleasure of a PROMENADE A L'EAU；of a walk upon the water。〃
〃Law； Captain！〃 cries Mrs。 Brough； 〃walk on the water？〃
〃Hush； Mamma； you don't understand French！〃 says Miss Belinda；
with a sneer。
〃It's a sad disadvantage； madam；〃 says Fizgig； gravely； 〃and I
recommend you and Brough here； who are coming out in the great world；
to have some lessons； or at least get up a couple of dozen phrases； and
introduce them into your conversation here and there。 I suppose； sir； you
speak it commonly at the office； Mr。 What you call it？〃 And Mr。 Fizgig
put his glass into his eye and looked at me。
〃We speak English； sir；〃 says I； 〃knowing it better than French。〃
〃Everybody has not had your opportunities；〃 Miss Brough； continued
the gentleman。 〃Everybody h
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