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one another than we do；〃 suggested Grindley senior； shaking hands。
〃Give us a look…up one Sunday afternoon；〃 suggested Solomon。
〃Bring the youngster with you。〃
Solomon Appleyard and Hezekiah Grindley had started life within a
few months of one another some five…and…thirty years before。 Likewise
within a few hundred yards of one another； Solomon at his father's
bookselling and printing establishment on the east side of the High
Street of a small Yorkshire town； Hezekiah at his father's grocery shop
upon the west side； opposite。 Both had married farmers' daughters。
Solomon's natural bent towards gaiety Fate had corrected by directing
his affections to a partner instinct with Yorkshire shrewdness； and with
shrewdness go other qualities that make for success rather than for
happiness。 Hezekiah； had circumstances been equal； might have been
his friend's rival for Janet's capable and saving hand； had not sweet…
tempered； laughing Annie Glossopdirected by Providence to her moral
welfare； one must presumefallen in love with him。 Between Jane's
virtues and Annie's three hundred golden sovereigns Hezekiah had not
hesitated a moment。 Golden sovereigns were solid facts； wifely virtues；
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by a serious…minded and strong…willed husband； could be instilledat
all events； light…heartedness suppressed。 The two men； Hezekiah urged
by his own ambition； Solomon by his wife's； had arrived in London
within a year of one another： Hezekiah to open a grocer's shop in
Kensington； which those who should have known assured him was a
hopeless neighbourhood。 But Hezekiah had the instinct of the money…
maker。 Solomon； after looking about him； had fixed upon the roomy；
substantial house in Nevill's Court as a promising foundation for a
printer's business。
That was ten years ago。 The two friends； scorning delights； living
laborious days； had seen but little of one another。 Light…hearted Annie
had borne to her dour partner two children who had died。 Nathaniel
George； with the luck supposed to wait on number three； had lived on；
and； inheriting fortunately the temperament of his mother； had brought
sunshine into the gloomy rooms above the shop in High Street；
Kensington。 Mrs。 Grindley； grown weak and fretful； had rested from
her labours。
Mrs。 Appleyard's guardian angel； prudent like his protege； had
waited till Solomon's business was well established before despatching
the stork to Nevill's Court； with a little girl。 Later had sent a boy； who；
not finding the close air of St。 Dunstan to his liking； had found his way
back again； thus passing out of this story and all others。 And there
remained to carry on the legend of the Grindleys and the Appleyards
only Nathaniel George； now aged five； and Janet Helvetia； quite a
beginner； who took lift seriously。
There are no such things as facts。 Narrow…minded folksurveyors；
auctioneers； and such likewould have insisted that the garden between
the old Georgian house and Nevill's Court was a strip of land one
hundred and eighteen feet by ninety…two； containing a laburnum tree； six
laurel bushes； and a dwarf deodora。 To Nathaniel George and Janet
Helvetia it was the land of Thule； 〃the furthest boundaries of which no
man has reached。〃 On rainy Sunday afternoons they played in the great；
gloomy pressroom； where silent ogres； standing motionless； stretched
out iron arms to seize them as they ran。 Then just when Nathaniel
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George was eight； and Janet Helvetia four and a half； Hezekiah launched
the celebrated 〃Grindley's Sauce。〃 It added a relish to chops and steaks；
transformed cold mutton into a luxury； and swelled the head of Hezekiah
Grindleywhich was big enough in all conscience as it wasand
shrivelled up his little hard heart。 The Grindleys and the Appleyards
visited no more。 As a sensible fellow ought to have seen for himself；
so thought Hezekiah； the Sauce had altered all things。 The possibility
of a marriage between their children； things having remained equal；
might have been a pretty fancy； but the son of the great Grindley； whose
name in three…foot letters faced the world from every hoarding； would
have to look higher than a printer's daughter。 Solomon； a sudden and
vehement convert to the principles of mediaeval feudalism； would rather
see his only child； granddaughter of the author of The History of
Kettlewell and other works； dead and buried than married to a grocer's
son； even though he might inherit a fortune made out of poisoning the
public with a mixture of mustard and sour beer。 It was many years
before Nathaniel George and Janet Helvetia met one another again； and
when they did they had forgotten one another；
Hezekiah S。 Grindley； a short； stout； and pompous gentleman； sat
under a palm in the gorgeously furnished drawing…room of his big house
at Notting Hill。 Mrs。 Grindley； a thin； faded woman； the despair of her
dressmaker； sat as near to the fire as its massive and imposing copper
outworks would permit； and shivered。 Grindley junior； a fair…haired；
well…shaped youth； with eyes that the other sex found attractive； leant
with his hands in his pockets against a scrupulously robed statue of
Diana； and appeared uncomfortable。
〃I'm making the moneymaking it hand over fist。 All you'll have
to do will be to spend it；〃 Grindley senior was explaining to his son and
heir。
〃I'll do that all right； dad。〃
〃I'm not so sure of it；〃 was his father's opinion。 〃You've got to
prove yourself worthy to spend it。 Don't you think I shall be content to
have slaved all these years merely to provide a brainless young idiot
with the means of self…indulgence。 I leave my money to somebody
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worthy of me。 Understand； sir？somebody worthy of me。〃
Mrs。 Grindley commenced a sentence； Mr。 Grindley turned his small
eyes upon her。 The sentence remained unfinished。
〃You were about to say something；〃 her husband reminded her。
Mrs。 Grindley said it was nothing。
〃If it is anything worth hearingif it is anything that will assist the
discussion； let's have it。〃 Mr。 Grindley waited。 〃If not； if you yourself
do not consider it worth finishing； why have begun it？〃
Mr。 Grindley returned to his son and heir。 〃You haven't done too
well at schoolin fact； your school career has disappointed me。〃
〃I know I'm not clever；〃 Grindley junior offered as an excuse。
〃Why not？ Why aren't you clever？〃
His son and heir was unable to explain。
〃You are my sonwhy aren't you clever？ It's laziness； sir； sheer
laziness！〃
〃I'll try and do better at Oxford； sirhonour bright I will！〃
〃You had better；〃 advised him his father； 〃because I warn you； your
whole future depends upon it。 You know me。 You've got to be a
credit to me； to be worthy of the name of Grindleyor the name； my boy；
is all you'll have。〃