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ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 521
"The manner of the loss does," said poor Philip. "I don't
care about the money. But he should not have taken this. He
should not have taken this. Think of poor Charlotte and the
child being in want possibly ! Oh, friend, it's hard to bear, isn't
it ? I'm an honest fellow, ain't I? .I think I am. I pray Heaven
I am. In any extremity of poverty could I have done this ? Well.
It was my father who introduced me to these people. I suppose
he thinks he has a right to my earnings : and if he is in want, you
know, so he has."
" Had you not better write to the New York publishers and
beg them henceforth to remit to you directly?" asks Philip's
friend.
" That would be to tell them that he has disposed of the money,"
groans Philip. " I can't tell them that my father is a _________ "
"No; but you can thank them for having handed over such
a sum on your account to the Doctor : and warn them that you
will draw on them from this country henceforth. They won't in
this case pay the next quarter to the Doctor."
" Suppose he is in want, ought I not to supply him ?" Firmin
said. " As long as there are four crusts in the house, the Doctor
ought to have one. Ought I to be angry with him for helping
himself, old boy ?" and he drinks a glass of wine, poor fellow, with
a rueful smile. By the way, it is my duty to mention here, that
the elder Firmin was in the habit of giving very elegant little
dinner parties at New York, where little dinner parties are much
more costly than in Europe—" in order," he said, " to establish and
keep up his connection as a physician." As a bon-vivant, I am
informed, the Doctor began to be celebrated in his new dwellingplace,
where his anecdotes of the British aristocracy were received
with pleasure in certain circles.
But it would be as well henceforth that Philip should deal
directly with his American correspondents, and not employ the
services of so very expensive a broker. To this suggestion he could
not but agree. Meanwhile,—and let this be a warning to men
never to deceive their wives in any the slightest circumstances ; to
tell them everything they wish to know, to keep nothing hidden
from those dear and excellent beings—you must know, ladies, that
when Philip's famous ship of dollars arrived from America, Firmin
had promised his wife that baby should have a dear delightful white
cloak trimmed with the most lovely tape, on which poor Charlotte
had often cast a longing eye as she passed by the milliner and
curiosity shops in Hanway Yard, which, I own, she loved to
frequent. Well; when Philip told her that his father had sent
home forty pounds, or what not, thereby deceiving his fond wife,