Atoneperiodofitsreverses,theHousefellintotheoccupationofaShowman。Hewasfoundregisteredasitsoccupier,ontheparishbooksofthetimewhenherentedtheHouse,andtherewasthereforenoneedofanycluetohisname。But,hehimselfwaslesseasytobefound;for,hehadledawanderinglife,andsettledpeoplehadlostsightofhim,andpeoplewhoplumedthemselvesonbeingrespectablewereshyofadmittingthattheyhadeverknownanythingofhim。Atlast,amongthemarshlandsneartheriver’slevel,thatlieaboutDeptfordandtheneighbouringmarket—gardens,aGrizzledPersonageinvelveteen,withafacesocutupbyvarietiesofweatherthathelookedasifhehadbeentattooed,wasfoundsmokingapipeatthedoorofawoodenhouseonwheels。Thewoodenhousewaslaidupinordinaryforthewinter,nearthemouthofamuddycreek;andeverythingnearit,thefoggyriver,themistymarshes,andthesteamingmarket—gardens,smokedincompanywiththegrizzledman。Inthemidstofthissmokingparty,thefunnel—chimneyofthewoodenhouseonwheelswasnotremiss,buttookitspipewiththerestinacompanionablemanner。
OnbeingaskedifitwerehewhohadoncerentedtheHousetoLet,GrizzledVelveteenlookedsurprised,andsaidyes。ThenhisnamewasMagsman?Thatwasit,TobyMagsman——whichlawfullychristenedRobert;butcalledintheline,fromainfant,Toby。TherewasnothingaginTobyMagsman,hebelieved?Iftherewassuspicionofsuch——mentionit!
Therewasnosuspicionofsuch,hemightrestassured。But,someinquiriesweremakingaboutthatHouse,andwouldheobjecttosaywhyheleftit?
Notatall;whyshouldhe?Heleftit,alongofaDwarf。
AlongofaDwarf?
Mr。Magsmanrepeated,deliberatelyandemphatically,AlongofaDwarf。
MightitbecompatiblewithMr。Magsman’sinclinationandconveniencetoenter,asafavour,intoafewparticulars?
Mr。Magsmanenteredintothefollowingparticulars。
Itwasalongtimeago,tobeginwith;——aforelotteriesandadealmorewasdoneawaywith。Mr。Magsmanwaslookingaboutforagoodpitch,andheseethathouse,andhesaystohimself,"I’llhaveyou,ifyou’retobehad。Ifmoney’llgetyou,I’llhaveyou。"
Theneighbourscutuprough,andmadecomplaints;butMr。Magsmandon’tknowwhattheyWOULDhavehad。Itwasalovelything。Firstofall,therewasthecanvass,representinthepicteroftheGiant,inSpanishtrunksandaruff,whowashimselfhalftheheighthofthehouse,andwasrunupwithalineandpulleytoapoleontheroof,sothathisEdwascoevalwiththeparapet。Then,therewasthecanvass,representinthepicteroftheAlbinalady,showingherwhiteairtotheArmyandNavyincorrectuniform。Then,therewasthecanvass,representinthepicteroftheWildIndianascalpinamemberofsomeforeignnation。Then,therewasthecanvass,representinthepicterofachildofaBritishPlanter,seizedbytwoBoaConstrictors——notthatWEneverhadnochild,nornoConstrictorsneither。Similarly,therewasthecanvass,representinthepicteroftheWildAssofthePrairies——notthatWEneverhadnowildasses,norwouldn’thavehad’ematagift。Last,therewasthecanvass,representinthepicteroftheDwarf,andlikehimtoo(considerin),withGeorgetheFourthinsuchastateofastonishmentathimasHisMajestycouldn’twithhisutmostpolitenessandstoutnessexpress。ThefrontoftheHousewassocoveredwithcanvasses,thattherewasn’tasparkofdaylightevervisibleonthatside。"MAGSMAN’SAMUSEMENTS,"fifteenfootlongbytwofoothigh,ranoverthefrontdoorandparlourwinders。ThepassagewasaArbourofgreenbaizeandgardenstuff。Abarrel—organperformedthereunceasing。Andastorespectability,——ifthreepenceain’trespectable,whatis?
But,theDwarfistheprincipalarticleatpresent,andhewasworththemoney。HewaswroteupasMAJORTPSCHOFFKI,OFTHEIMPERIAL
BULGRADERIANBRIGADE。Nobodycouldn’tpronouncethename,anditneverwasintendedanybodyshould。Thepublicalwaysturnedit,asaregularrule,intoChopski。InthelinehewascalledChops;
partlyonthataccount,andpartlybecausehisrealname,ifheeverhadanyrealname(whichwasverydubious),wasStakes。
Hewasaun—commonsmallman,hereallywas。Certainlynotsosmallashewasmadeouttobe,butwhereISyourDwarfasis?Hewasamostuncommonsmallman,withamostuncommonlargeEd;andwhathehadinsidethatEd,nobodyeverknowedbuthimself:evensupposinhimselftohaveevertookstockofit,whichitwouldhavebeenastiffjobforevenhimtodo。
Thekindestlittlemanasnevergrowed!Spirited,butnotproud。
WhenhetravelledwiththeSpottedBaby——thoughheknowedhimselftobeanat’ralDwarf,andknowedtheBaby’sspotstobeputuponhimartificial,henursedthatBabylikeamother。Youneverheerdhimgiveaill—nametoaGiant。HeDIDallowhimselftobreakoutintostronglanguagerespectintheFatLadyfromNorfolk;butthatwasanaffairofthe’art;andwhenaman’s’arthasbeentrifledwithbyalady,andthepreferencegivtoaIndian,heain’tmasterofhisactions。
Hewasalwaysinlove,ofcourse;everyhumannat’ralphenomenonis。
Andhewasalwaysinlovewithalargewoman;IneverknowedtheDwarfascouldbegottoloveasmallone。Whichhelpstokeep’emtheCuriositiestheyare。
Onesing’lerideahehadinthatEdofhis,whichmusthavemeantsomething,oritwouldn’thavebeenthere。Itwasalwayshisopinionthathewasentitledtoproperty。Heneverwouldputhisnametoanything。Hehadbeentaughttowrite,bytheyoungmanwithoutarms,whogothislivingwithhistoes(quiteawritingmasterHEwas,andtaughtscoresintheline),butChopswouldhavestarvedtodeath,aforehe’dhavegainedabitofbreadbyputtinghishandtoapaper。Thisisthemorecurioustobearinmind,becauseHEhadnoproperty,norhopeofproperty,excepthishouseandasarser。WhenIsayhishouse,Imeanthebox,paintedandgotupoutsidelikeareg’larsix—roomer,thatheusedtocreepinto,withadiamondring(orquiteasgoodtolookat)onhisforefinger,andringalittlebelloutofwhatthePublicbelievedtobetheDrawing—roomwinder。AndwhenIsayasarser,ImeanaChaneysarserinwhichhemadeacollectionforhimselfattheendofeveryEntertainment。Hiscueforthat,hetookfromme:"Ladiesandgentlemen,thelittlemanwillnowwalkthreetimesroundtheCairawan,andretirebehindthecurtain。"Whenhesaidanythingimportant,inprivatelife,hemostlywounditupwiththisformofwords,andtheywasgenerallythelastthinghesaidtomeatnightaforehewenttobed。
HehadwhatIconsiderafinemind——apoeticmind。Hisideasrespectinhispropertynevercomeuponhimsostrongaswhenhesatuponabarrel—organandhadthehandleturned。Arterthewibrationhadrunthroughhimalittletime,hewouldscreechout,"Toby,I
feelmypropertycoming——grindaway!I’mcountingmyguineasbythousands,Toby——grindaway!Toby,Ishallbeamanoffortun!I
feeltheMintajinglinginme,Toby,andI’mswellingoutintotheBankofEngland!"Suchistheinfluenceofmusiconapoeticmind。
Notthathewaspartialtoanyothermusicbutabarrel—organ;onthecontrary,hatedit。
HehadakindofaeverlastinggrudgeaginthePublic:whichisathingyoumaynoticeinmanyphenomenonsthatgettheirlivingoutofit。Whatriledhimmostinthenaterofhisoccupationwas,thatitkephimoutofSociety。Hewascontiniwallysaying,"Toby,myambitionis,togointoSociety。ThecurseofmypositiontowardsthePublicis,thatitkeepsmehoutofSociety。Thisdon’tsignifytoalowbeastofaIndian;hean’tformedforSociety。Thisdon’tsignifytoaSpottedBaby;HEan’tformedforSociety。——Iam。"
NobodynevercouldmakeoutwhatChopsdonewithhismoney。Hehadagoodsalary,downonthedrumeverySaturdayasthedaycameround,besideshavingtherunofhisteeth——andhewasaWoodpeckertoeat——butallDwarfsare。Thesarserwasalittleincome,bringinghiminsomanyhalfpencethathe’dcarry’emforaweektogether,tiedupinapocket—handkercher。Andyetheneverhadmoney。Anditcouldn’tbetheFatLadyfromNorfolk,aswasoncesupposed;becauseitstandstoreasonthatwhenyouhaveaanimositytowardsaIndian,whichmakesyougrindyourteethathimtohisface,andwhichcanhardlyholdyoufromGoosinghimaudiblewhenhe’sgoingthroughhisWar—Dance——itstandstoreasonyouwouldn’tunderthemcircumstancesdepriveyourself,tosupportthatIndianinthelapofluxury。
Mostunexpected,themysterycomeoutonedayatEghamRaces。ThePublicwasshyofbeinpulledin,andChopswasringinhislittlebelloutofhisdrawing—roomwinder,andwassnarlintomeoverhisshoulderashekneeleddownwithhislegsoutattheback—door——forhecouldn’tbeshovedintohishousewithoutkneelingdown,andthepremiseswouldn’taccommodatehislegs——wassnarlin,"Here’sapreciousPublicforyou;whytheDevildon’ttheytumbleup?"whenamaninthecrowdholdsupacarrier—pigeon,andcriesout,"Ifthere’sanypersonhereashasgotaticket,theLottery’sjustdrawed,andthenumberashascomeupforthegreatprizeisthree,seven,forty—two!Three,seven,forty—two!"IwasgivinthemantotheFuriesmyself,forcallingoffthePublic’sattention——forthePublicwillturnaway,atanytime,tolookatanythinginpreferencetothethingshowed’em;andifyoudoubtit,get’emtogetherforanyindiwidualpurposeonthefaceoftheearth,andsendonlytwopeopleinlate,andseeifthewholecompanyan’tfarmoreinterestedintakinparticularnoticeofthemtwothanofyou——
Isay,Iwasn’tbestpleasedwiththemanforcallinout,andwasn’tblessinhiminmyownmind,whenIseeChops’slittlebellflyoutofwinderataoldlady,andhegetsupandkickshisboxover,exposinthewholesecret,andhecatchesholdofthecalvesofmylegsandhesaystome,"Carrymeintothewan,Toby,andthrowapailofwaterovermeorI’madeadman,forI’vecomeintomyproperty!"
Twelvethousandoddhundredpound,wasChops’swinnins。Hehadboughtahalf—ticketforthetwenty—fivethousandprize,andithadcomeup。Thefirstusehemadeofhisproperty,was,tooffertofighttheWildIndianforfivehundredpoundaside,himwithapoisoneddarnin—needleandtheIndianwithaclub;buttheIndianbeinginwantofbackerstothatamount,itwentnofurther。
Arterhehadbeenmadforaweek——inastateofmind,inshort,inwhich,ifIhadlethimsitontheorganforonlytwominutes,I
believehewouldhavebust——butwekeptheorganfromhim——Mr。Chopscomeround,andbehavedliberalandbeautifultoall。Hethensentforayoungmanheknowed,ashadawerygenteelappearanceandwasaBonnetatagaming—booth(mostrespectablebroughtup,fatherhavinbeenimminentintheliverystablelinebutunfort’nateinacommercialcrisis,throughpaintinaoldgray,ginger—bay,andsellinhimwithaPedigree),andMr。ChopssaidtothisBonnet,whosaidhisnamewasNormandy,whichitwasn’t:
"Normandy,I’magoinintoSociety。Willyougowithme?"
SaysNormandy:"DoIunderstandyou,Mr。Chops,tohintimatethatthe’oleoftheexpensesofthatmovewillbebornebyyourself?"
"Correct,"saysMr。Chops。"AndyoushallhaveaPrincelyallowancetoo。"
TheBonnetliftedMr。Chopsuponachair,toshakehandswithhim,andrepliedinpoetry,withhiseyesseeminglyfulloftears:
"Myboatisontheshore,Andmybarkisonthesea,AndIdonotaskformore,ButI’llGo:—alongwiththee。"
TheywentintoSociety,inachayandfourgrayswithsilkjackets。
TheytooklodgingsinPallMall,London,andtheyblazedaway。
InconsequenceofanotethatwasbroughttoBartlemyFairintheautumnofnextyearbyaservant,mostwonderfulgotupinmilk—
whitecordsandtops,IcleanedmyselfandwenttoPallMall,oneeveningappinted。Thegentlemenwasattheirwinearterdinner,andMr。Chops’seyeswasmorefixedinthatEdofhisthanIthoughtgoodforhim。Therewasthreeof’em(incompany,Imean),andI
knowedthethirdwell。Whenlastmet,hehadonawhiteRomanshirt,andabishop’smitrecoveredwithleopard—skin,andplayedtheclarionetallwrong,inabandataWildBeastShow。
Thisgenttookonnottoknowme,andMr。Chopssaid:"Gentlemen,thisisaoldfriendofformerdays:"andNormandylookedatmethroughaeye—glass,andsaid,"Magsman,gladtoseeyou!"——whichI’lltakemyoathhewasn’t。Mr。Chops,togithimconvenienttothetable,hadhischaironathrone(muchoftheformofGeorgetheFourth’sinthecanvass),buthehardlyappearedtometobeKingthereinanyotherpintofview,forhistwogentlemenorderedaboutlikeEmperors。TheywasalldressedlikeMay—Day——gorgeous!——AndastoWine,theyswaminallsorts。
Imadetheroundofthebottles,firstseparate(tosayIhaddoneit),andthenmixed’emalltogether(tosayIhaddoneit),andthentriedtwoof’emashalf—and—half,andthent’othertwo。
Altogether,Ipassedapleasinevenin,butwithatendencytofeelmuddled,untilIconsidereditgoodmannerstogetupandsay,"Mr。
Chops,thebestoffriendsmustpart,Ithankyouforthewarietyofforeigndrainsyouhavestoodso’ansome,Ilookstowardsyouinredwine,andItakesmyleave。"Mr。Chopsreplied,"Ifyou’lljusthitchmeoutofthisoveryourrightarm,Magsman,andcarrymedown—stairs,I’llseeyouout。"IsaidIcouldn’tthinkofsuchathing,buthewouldhaveit,soIliftedhimoffhisthrone。HesmeltstrongofMaideary,andIcouldn’thelpthinkingasIcarriedhimdownthatitwaslikecarryingalargebottlefullofwine,witharaytheruglystopper,agooddealoutofproportion。
WhenIsethimonthedoor—matinthehall,hekepmeclosetohimbyholdingontomycoat—collar,andhewhispers:
"Iain’t’appy,Magsman。"