The Three Clerks eBook

Acting in accordance with his fixed and conscientious rule in this respect, Undy Scott had struck up an acquaintance with Alaric Tudor.  He saw that Alaric was no ordinary clerk, that Sir Gregory was likely to have the Civil Service under his thumb, and that Alaric was a great favourite with the great man.  It would but little have availed Undy to have striven to be intimate with Sir Gregory himself.  The Knight Commander of the Bath would have been deaf to his blandishments; but it seemed probable that the ears of Alaric might be tickled.

And thus Alaric and Undy Scott had become fast friends; that is, as fast as such friends generally are.  Alaric was no more blind to his own interest than was his new ally.  But there was this difference between them; Undy lived altogether in the utilitarian world which he had formed around himself, whereas Alaric lived in two worlds.  When with Undy his pursuits and motives were much such as those of Undy himself; but at Surbiton Cottage, and with Harry Norman, he was still susceptible of a higher feeling.  He had been very cool to poor Linda on his last visit to Hampton; but it was not that his heart was too hard for love.  He had begun to discern that Gertrude would never attach herself to Norman; and if Gertrude were free, why should she not be his?

Poor Linda!

Scott had early heard—­and of what official event did he not obtain early intelligence?—­that Neverbend was to go down to Tavistock about the Mary Jane tin mine, and that a smart colleague was required for him.  He would fain, for reasons of his own, have been that smart colleague himself; but that he knew was impossible.  He and Neverbend were the Alpha and Omega of official virtues and vices.  But he took an opportunity of mentioning before Sir Gregory, in a passing unpremeditated way, how excellently adapted Tudor was for the work.  It so turned out that his effort was successful, and that Tudor was sent.

The whole of their first day at Tavistock was passed by Neverbend and Alaric in hearing interminable statements from the various mining combatants, and when at seven o’clock Alaric shut up for the evening he was heartily sick of the job.  The next morning before breakfast he sauntered out to air himself in front of the hotel, and who should come whistling up the street, with a cigar in his mouth, but his new friend Undy Scott.

CHAPTER IX

MR. MANYLODES

Alaric Tudor was very much surprised.  Had he seen Sir Gregory himself, or Captain Cuttwater, walking up the street of Tavistock, he could not have been more startled.  It first occurred to him that Scott must have been sent down as a third Commissioner to assist at the investigation; and he would have been right glad to have known that this was the case, for he found that the management of Mr. Neverbend was no pastime.  But he soon learnt that such relief was not at hand for him.