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582 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
will try and associate between whom no love is ? I think it was
the ladies who tried to reconcile Philip and his master; who
brought them together, and strove to make them friends ; but the
more they met the more they disliked each other; and now the
Muse has to relate their final and irreconcilable rupture.
Of Mugford's wrath the direful tale relate, O Muse! and Philip's
pitiable fate. I have shown how the men had long been inwardly
envenomed one against the other. " Because Firmin is as poor as
a rat, that's no reason why he should adopt that hawhaw manner,
and them high and mighty airs towards a man who gives him the
bread he eats," Mugford argued not unjustly. " What do I care
for his being a University man ? I am as good as he is. I am
better than his old scamp of a father, who was a College man too,
and lived in fine company. I made my own way in the world, independent,
and supported myself since I was fourteen years of age,
and helped my mother and brothers too, and that's more than my
sub-editor can say, who can't support himself yet. I could get
fifty sub-editors as good as he is, by calling out of window into
the street, I could. I say, hang Firmin ! I'm a-losing all patience
with him." On the other hand, Mr. Philip was in the habit of
speaking his mind with equal candour. "What right has that
person to call me Firmin ?" he asked. " I am Firmin to my equals
and friends. I am this man's labourer at four guineas a week. I
give him his money's worth, and on every Saturday evening we are
quits. Call me Philip indeed, and strike me in the side ! I choke,
sir, as I think of the confounded familiarity !" " Confound his
impudence!" was the cry, and the not unjust cry, of the labourer
and his employer. The men should have been kept apart : and it
was a most mistaken Christian charity and female conspiracy which
brought them together. "Another invitation from Mugford. It was
agreed that I was never to go again, and I won't go," says Philip
to his meek wife. " Write and say we are engaged, Charlotte."
" It is for the 18th of next month, and this is the 23rd," said
poor Charlotte. "We can't well say that we are engaged so
far off."
" It is for one of his grand ceremony parties," urged the Little
Sister. " You can't come to no quarrelling there. He has a good
heart. So have you. There's no good quarrelling with him. Oh,
Philip, do forgive, and be friends!" Philip yielded to the remonstrances
of the women, as we all do ; and a letter was sent to
Hampstead, announcing that Mr. and Mrs. P. F. would have the
honour of, &c.
In his quality of newspaper proprietor, musical professors and
opera singers paid much court to Mr. Mugford; and he liked to