And he was so invited. ‘That is L1,200
a year, at any rate,’ said he to himself, as
with many words of submissive gratitude he thanked
his patron for the nomination. ’That is
L1,200 a year. So far, so good. And now
what must be the next step? Excelsior! It
is very nice to be a Commissioner, and sit at a Board
at Sir Gregory’s right hand: much nicer
than being a junior clerk at the Weights and Measures,
like Harry Norman. But there are nicer things
even than that; there are greater men even than Sir
Gregory; richer figures than even L1,200 a year!’
So he went to his old office, wrote his resignation,
and walked home meditating to what next step above
he should now aspire to rise. ‘Excelsior!’
he still said to himself, ‘Excelsior!’
At the same moment Charley was leaving the Internal
Navigation, and as he moved with unusual slowness
down the steps, he bethought himself how he might
escape from the fangs of his Norah; how, if such might
still be possible, he might fit himself for the love
of Katie Woodward. Excelsior! such also was the
thought of his mind; but he did not dare to bring the
word to utterance. It was destined that his thoughts
should be interrupted by no very friendly hand.
OUTERMAN v TUDOR
Charley sat at his office on the Saturday afternoon,
very meditative and unlike himself. What was
he to do when his office hours were over? In
the first place he had not a shilling in the world
to get his dinner. His habit was to breakfast
at home at his lodgings with Harry, and then to dine,
as best he might, at some tavern, if he had not the
good fortune to be dining out. He had a little
dinner bill at a house which he frequented in the
Strand; but the bill he knew had reached its culminating
point. It would, he was aware, be necessary that
it should be decreased, not augmented, at the next
commercial transaction which might take place between
him and the tavern-keeper.
This was not the first time by many in which he had
been in a similar plight—but his resource
in such case had been to tell the truth gallantly
to his friend Mrs. Davis; and some sort of viands,
not at all unprepossessing to him in his hunger, would
always be forthcoming for him at the ‘Cat and
Whistle.’ This supply was now closed to
him. Were he, under his present circumstances,
to seek for his dinner from the fair hands of Norah
Geraghty, it would be tantamount to giving himself
up as lost for ever.
This want of a dinner, however, was a small misfortune
in comparison with others which afflicted him.
Should or should he not keep his promise to Mrs. Davis,
and go to the ’Cat and Whistle’ that evening?
That was the question which disturbed his equanimity,
and hindered him from teasing Mr. Snape in his usual
vivacious manner.
