Chapter 7

A SPITEFUL WOMAN.

Randolph lost no time in going home to report what he had seen. Both his father and mother were surprised to see him back so soon.

�I am glad you came home early,� said his mother.

�Did you see anything of Gilbert while you were out?� asked his father.

�Do you suppose, Mr. Briggs, that Randolph is going to follow your beggarly ward?� demanded Mrs. Briggs, sharply.

�He might have met him,� said her husband, in an apologetic tone.

�I did meet him,� said Randolph, in so significant a tone that both his father and mother looked at him for an explanation.

�Where do you think I saw him?� continued Randolph.

�In some low place,� suggested his mother.

�Not at all. He was eating an ice-cream at Delmonico�s.�

�Pretty well for a penniless boy!� said Mrs. Briggs. �I suppose he expects us to supply him with money to pay for his extravagant outlays.�

�Oh, he didn�t pay for it himself. He got Mr. Vivian to treat him.�

�Mr. Vivian!�

�Yes: he had picked up Mr. Vivian and Laura somewhere, and probably suggested going in to take an ice-cream.�

�No doubt Mr. Vivian invited him,� said Mr. Briggs, who did not allow dislike to run away with his common-sense.

�He is certainly the most forward and impudent boy I ever met,� exclaimed Mrs. Briggs, whose annoyance arose largely from Gilbert�s succeeding better with the Vivians than her own son.

�Really, my dear,� expostulated her husband, �I am sure you do the boy injustice.�

�Don�t call me �my dear,�� said Mrs. Briggs, scornfully. �I can�t see what has got into you. You certainly must be wilfully blind if you don�t see through the artfulness of that boy.�

�What has he done?�

�He has wormed himself into the intimacy of Mr. Vivian; that is what he has done.�

�Why shouldn�t he? If Mr. Vivian is inclined to befriend him, it will be a saving to me.�

�It won�t be for long. Mr. Vivian will find him out, and cast him off.�

�I don�t know that there is anything in particular to find out. He seems to me as good as the average of boys.�

�Well, Mr. Briggs, I can only say that you seem infatuated about him. I beg to say that I am not.�

�That is apparent,� said her husband, smiling.

�Moreover,� added his wife, provoked, �I wish to tell you that it is disagreeable to me to have him in the house. So the sooner you can find a boarding-house for him the better.�

�Well, I will, if you insist upon it.�

�I do insist upon it.�

�Then I will try in a day or two to find him a home.�

�Mark my words, Mr. Briggs: you will find, sooner or later, that my prejudice against him is not so foolish as you imagine. That boy will turn out badly.�

�I hope not.�

�It�s all very well hoping; but you�ll see.�

Randolph now got up to go.

�Where are you going, Randolph?� asked his mother.

�I am going out a while; I can�t say where.�

�Why can�t you be satisfied to stay at home?�

�Oh, it�s so stupid staying at home,� said Randolph. �I want to go where there�s something going on.�

�It isn�t a very good plan for a boy of your age to spend his evenings about the street,� said Mr. Briggs.

�Why shouldn�t he go out?� said Mrs. Briggs, in the spirit of opposition. �You haven�t anything to say about your favorite being out.�

�The city is new to him. If he went out every evening like Randolph, I should think it a bad plan.�

�I suppose you would find some excuse for him.�

�Really,� said Mr. Briggs, �I shall be quite as anxious to get him out of the house as you, if you keep up such an incessant attack.�

�If you are going to talk to me in this style, I will retire,� said Mrs. Briggs, stiffly.

Suiting the action to the word, she rose and left the room. Her husband made no opposition. Indeed, as her temper was, he felt her withdrawal a relief. He settled himself down to the comfortable reading of an evening paper, and had about completed its perusal when the bell rang, and Gilbert entered the room.

�Well, Gilbert, did you have a pleasant time?� asked his guardian.

�Yes, sir; unexpectedly so. I met Mr. Vivian and his daughter, and went to Delmonico�s with them.�

�You found him an agreeable man, no doubt?�

�Yes, sir; he treated me very kindly for a stranger.�

�He has a high reputation,� said Mr. Briggs.

�Is he in business?�

�Yes; he is an importer, and is generally considered very wealthy. He is a prudent, conservative man, who avoids dangerous risks, and so meets with few losses.�

�He has invited me to call next Friday evening at his house.�

�You had better go, by all means. His friendship may be valuable to you.�

�I am glad you approve of my going, for I am sure I shall enjoy it.�

�Now, Gilbert,� said Mr. Briggs, clearing his throat, �as we have a good opportunity, I will say a few words about my plans for you.�

�I wish you would, sir. I am anxious to know what is to be my path in life.�

�I propose to get you into some store or counting-room in the city.�

�Yes, sir. That is what I should like.�

�And,� continued Mr. Briggs, rather embarrassed, �it will probably be necessary for you to obtain a boarding-place nearer the business part of the city than you would be here.�

�I should think it would be better,� said Gilbert, who decidedly preferred a boarding-house to an establishment presided over by Mrs. Briggs, who, he clearly saw, was not disposed to be his friend.

�We have breakfast too late to admit of your getting down-town in time,� continued Mr. Briggs, who seemed to want to justify himself in the eyes of his ward for the inhospitable proposal.

�Yes, sir, I think it will be every way better,� said Gilbert, promptly. �What wages do you think I can get, sir?�

�Why,� said Mr. Briggs, hesitating, �beginners like you seldom command more than five dollars a week at first.�

Gilbert looked serious.

�I suppose,� he said, �this will not be enough to pay all my expenses.�

�Certainly not,� said his guardian, �but you need not feel troubled about that. I will make up the balance necessary till you are far enough advanced to be self-supporting.�

�You are very kind, sir,� said Gilbert, gratefully; �but it appears that I have already cost you considerable.�

�Oh, that is of no consequence,� said Mr. Briggs, hurriedly. �I was your father�s friend, and naturally I feel an interest in your progress.�

�Thank you, sir; but I don�t like to be a continued burden to you. Do you think it will be long before I can support myself?�

�It will certainly be two years�perhaps three.�

�Of course I don�t know anything about it, but I should think my services ought to be worth my board and clothes before that.�

�We must take things as we find them,� said his guardian. �There are a dozen applicants for every place open to a boy, and while this state of things continues employers will pay low wages. Besides, it is felt that a boy is paid partly in the knowledge of business he acquires.�

�I have no doubt you are right, sir; but how do poor boys manage who have no one to make up the deficiency?�

�Some of them have to live on five dollars a week.�

�Couldn�t I do it?�

�I should not be willing to have you. You have been brought up as a gentleman, and could not get along as well as if you had always been poor.�

�I will trust to your judgment, sir; but I shall want you to keep an account of all you spend for me.�

�Why?�

�Because some day I mean to repay it,� said Gilbert, proudly.

�You are too particular about this matter,� said Mr. Briggs, uncomfortably.

�No, sir, I don�t think so. I think I am old enough now to undertake my entire support.�

�I will see about it, then.�

This closed the conversation for the evening. Gilbert was glad to have spoken to his guardian. Now he knew better what to look forward to.