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ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 621
Philip Firmin, then, was immensely moved by this magnanimity
and kindness on the part of his old employer, and has always considered
Mugford's arrival and friendliness as a special interposition
in his favour. He owes it all to Brandon, he says. It was she
who bethought herself of his condition, represented it to Mugford,
and reconciled him to his enemy. Others were most ready with
their money. It was Brandon who brought him work rather than
alms, and enabled him to face fortune cheerfully. His interval of
poverty was so short, that ho actually had not occasion to borrow. A
week more, and he could not have held out, and poor Brandon's little
marriage present must have gone to the cenotaph of sovereigns—the
dear Little Sister's gift which Philip's family cherish to this hour.
So Philip, with a humbled heart and demeanour, clambered up
on his sub-editorial stool once more at the Pall Mall Gazette, and
again brandished the paste-pot and the scissors. I forget whether
Bickerton still remained in command at the Pall Mall Gazette, or
was more kind to Philip than before, or was afraid of him, having
heard of his exploits as a fire-eater ; but certain it is, the two did
not come to a quarrel, giving each other a wide berth, as the saying
is, and each doing his own duty. Good-bye, Monsieur Bickerton.
Except, mayhap, in the final group, round the FAIRY CHARIOT
(when, I promise you, there will be such a blaze of glory that he
will be invisible), we shall never see the little spiteful envious
creature more. Let him pop down his appointed trap-door ; and,
quick fiddles ! let the brisk music jig on.
Owing to the coolness which had arisen between Philip and his
father on account of their different views regarding the use to be
made of Philip's signature, the old gentleman drew no further bills
in his son's name, and our friend was spared from the unpleasant
persecution. Mr. Hunt loved Dr. Firmin so ardently that he could
not bear to be separated from the Doctor long. Without the Doctor,
London was a dreary wilderness to Hunt. Unfortunate remembrances
of past pecuniary transactions haunted him here. We were
all of us glad when he finally retired from the Covent Garden taverns
and betook himself to the Bowery once more.
And now friend Philip was at work again, hardly earning a
scanty meal for self, wife, servant, children. It was indeed a meagre
meal, and a small wage. Charlotte's illness, and other mishaps,
had swept away poor Philip's little savings. It was determined
that we would let the elegantly furnished apartments on the first
floor. You might have fancied the proud Mr. Firmin rather repugnant
to such a measure. And so he was on the score of convenience :
but of dignity, not a whit. To this day, if necessity called, Philip
would turn a mangle with perfect gravity. I believe the thought