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they won't give over pestering you； mistress； ah'll come round and
just stand behind your chair； and bring nieve with me；〃 showing a
fist like a leg of mutton。
〃No； no；〃 said the auctioneer； 〃that will not do。 I will have no
disturbance here。 Call the policeman。〃
While the clerk went to the door for the bobby； a gentleman
reminded the auctioneer that the journals had repeatedly drawn
attention to the nuisance。
〃Fault of the public； not mine； sir。 Policeman； stand behind that
lady's chair； and if anybody annoys her put him quietly into the
street。〃
〃This auction…room will be to let soon；〃 said a voice at the end of
the table。
〃This auction…room；〃 said the auctioneer； master of the gay or
grave at a moment's notice； 〃is supported by the public and the
trade； it is not supported by paupers。〃
A Jew upholsterer put in his word。 〃I do my own business； but I
like to let a poor man live。〃
〃Jonathan；〃 said the auctioneer to one of his servants； 〃after this
sale you may put up the shutters； we have gone and offended Mr。
Jacobs。 He keeps a shop in Blind Alley； Whitechapel。 Now then；
lot 69。〃
Rosa bid timidly for one or two lots； and bought them cheap。
The auctioneer kept looking her way； and she had only to nod。
The obnoxious broker got opposite her； and ran her up a little out
of spite； but as he had only got half a crown about him； and no
means of doubling it； he dared not go far。
On the other side of the table was a figure to which Rosa's eyes
often turned with interesta fair young boy about twelve years
old； he had golden hair； and was in deep mourning。 His appearance
interested Rosa； and she wondered how he came there； and why； he
looked like a lamb wedged in among wolves； a flower among weeds。
As the lots proceeded； the boy seemed to get uneasy； and at last；
when lot '73 was put up； anybody could see in his poor little face
that he was there to bid for it。
〃Lot '73； an armchair covered in morocco。 An excellent and useful
article。 Should not be at all surprised if it was made by Gillow。〃
〃Gillow would though；〃 said Jacobs； who owed him a turn。
Chorus of dealers。〃Haw！ haw！〃
The auctioneer。〃I like to hear some people run a lot down； shows
they are going to bid for it in earnest。 Well； name your own
price。 Five pounds to begin？〃
Now if nobody had spoken the auctioneer would have gone on； 〃Well；
four pounds thenthree； two； whatever you like；〃 and at last
obtained a bona fide offer of thirty shillings； but the moment he
said 〃Five pounds to begin；〃 the boy in black lifted up his
childish treble and bid thus； 〃Five pound ten〃〃six pounds〃〃six
pound ten〃〃seven pounds〃〃seven pound ten〃〃eight pounds〃
〃eight pound ten〃〃nine pounds〃〃nine pound ten〃〃ten pounds！〃
without interruption； and indeed almost in a breath。
There was a momentary pause of amazement； and then an outburst of
chaff。
〃Nice little boy！〃
〃Didn't he say his lesson well？〃
〃Favor us with your card； sir。 You are a gent as knows how to
buy。〃
〃What did he stop for？ If it's worth ten； it is worth a hundred。〃
〃Bless the child！〃 said a female dealer； kindly； 〃what made you go
on like that？ Why； there was no one bid against you！ you'd have
got it for two poundsa rickety old thing。〃
Young master began to whimper。 〃Why； the gentleman said； 'Five
pounds to BEGIN。' It was the chair poor grandpapa always sat in；
and all the things are sold； and mamma said it would break her
heart to lose it。 She was too ill to come； so she sent me。 She
told me I was not to let it be sold away from us for less than ten
pounds； or she shshould be mmmiserable；〃 and the poor little
fellow began to cry。 Rosa followed suit promptly but unobtrusively。
〃Sentiment always costs money；〃 said Mr。 Jacobs； gravely。
〃How do you know？〃 asked Mr。 Cohen。 〃Have YOU got any on hand？ I
never seen none at your shop。〃
Some tempting things now came up； and Mrs。 Staines bid freely； but
all of a sudden she looked down the table； and there was Uncle
Philip； twinkling as before。 〃Oh； dear！ what am I doing now！〃
thought she。 〃I have got no broker。〃
She bid on； but in fear and trembling； because of those twinkling
eyes。 At last she mustered courage； wrote on a leaf of her pocket…
book； and passed it down to him： 〃It would be only kind to warn me。
What am I doing wrong？〃
He sent her back a line directly： 〃Auctioneer running you up
himself。 Follow his eye when he bids； you will see there is no
bona fide bidder at your prices。〃
Rosa did so； and found that it was true。
She nodded to Uncle Philip； and； with her expressive face； asked
him what she should do。
The old boy must have his joke。 So he wrote back： 〃Tell him； as
you see he has a fancy for certain articles； you would not be so
discourteous as to bid against him。〃
The next article but one was a drawing…room suite Rosa wanted； but
the auctioneer bid against her； so at eighteen pounds she stopped。
〃It is against you； madam；〃 said the auctioneer。
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Rosa； 〃but as you are the only bidder； and you
have been so kind to me； I would not think of opposing you。〃
The words were scarcely out of her mouth； when they were greeted
with a roar of Homeric laughter that literally shook the room； and
this time not at the expense of the innocent speaker。
〃That's into your mutton； governor。〃
〃Sharp's the word this time。〃
〃I say； governor； don't you want a broker to bid for ye？〃
〃Wink at me next time； sir； I'll do the office for you。〃
〃No greenhorns left now。〃
〃That lady won't give a ten…pund note for her grandfather's
armchair。〃
〃Oh； yes； she will； if it's stuffed with banknotes。〃
〃Put the next lot up with the owner's name and the reserve price。
Open business。〃
〃And sing a psalm at starting。〃
〃A little less noise in Judaea； if you please；〃 said the
auctioneer； who had now recovered from the blow。 〃Lot 97。〃
This was a very pretty marqueterie cabinet； it stood against the
wall； and Rosa had set her heart upon it。 Nobody would bid。 She
had muzzled the auctioneer effectually。
〃Your own price。〃
〃Two pounds；〃 said Rosa。
A dealer offered guineas； and it advanced slowly to four pounds and
half a crown； at which it was about to be knocked down to Rosa；
when suddenly a new bidder arose in the broker Rosa had rejected。
They bid slowly and sturdily against each other； until a line was
given to Rosa from Uncle Philip。
〃This time it is your own friend； the snipe…nosed woman。 She
telegraphed a broker。〃
Rosa read； and crushed the note。 〃Six guineas；〃 said she。
〃Six…ten。〃
〃Seven。〃
〃Seven…ten。〃
〃Eight。〃
〃Eight…ten。〃
〃Ten guineas；〃 said Rosa； and then； with feminine cunning； stealing
a sudden glance； caught her friend leaning back and signalling the
broker not to give in。
〃Eleven pounds。〃
〃Twelve。〃
〃Thirteen。〃
〃Fourteen。〃
〃Sixteen。〃
〃Eighteen。〃
〃Twenty。〃
〃Twenty guineas。〃
〃It is yours； my faithful friend；〃 said Rosa； turning suddenly
round to Mrs。 Cole； with a magnificent glance no one would have
thought her capable of。
Then she rose and stalked away。
Dumfounded for the moment； Mrs。 Cole followed her； and stopped her
at the door。
〃Why； Rosie dear； it is the only thing I have bid for。 There I've
sat by your side like a mouse。〃
Rosa turned gravely towards her。 〃You know it is not that。 You
had only to tell me you wanted it。 I would never have been so mean
as to bid against you。〃
〃Mean； indeed！〃 said。 Florence； tossing her head。
〃Yes； mean； to draw back and hide behind the friend you were with；
and employ the very rogue she had turned off。 But it is my own
fault。 Cecilia warned me against you。 She always said you were a
treacherous girl。〃
〃And I say you are an impudent little minx。 Only just married； and
going about like two vagabonds； and talk to me like that！〃
〃We are not going about like two vagabonds。 We have taken a house
in Mayfair。〃
〃Say a stable。〃
〃It was by your advice； you false…hearted creature。〃
〃You are a fool。〃
〃You are worse； you are a traitress。〃
〃Then don't you have anything to do with me。〃
〃Heaven forbid I should； you treacherous thing！〃
〃You insolentinsolentI hate you。〃
〃And I despise you。〃
〃I always hated you at bottom。〃
〃That's why you pretended to love me； you wretch。〃
〃Well； I pretend no more。 I am your enemy for life。〃
〃Thank you。 You have told the truth for once in your life。〃
〃I have。 And he shall never call in your husband； so you may leave
Mayfair as soon as you like。〃
〃Not to please you； madam。 We can get on without traitors。〃
And so they parted； with eyes that gleamed like tigers。
Rosa drove home in great agitation； and tried to tell Christopher；
but choked； and became hysterical。 The husband…physician coaxed
and scolded her out of that； and presently in came Uncle Philip；
full of the humors of the auction…room。 He told about the little
boy with a delight that disgusted Mrs。 Staines； and then was
particularly merry on female friendships。 〃Fancy a man going to a
sale with his friend； and bidding against him on the sly。〃
〃She is no friend of mine。 We are enemies for life。〃
〃And you were to be fr