The incessant performance of this routine on every occasion, and the communication of a fixed and rigid look to his unaffected eye, so as to make it uniform with the other, and to render it impossible for anybody to determine where or at what he was looking, were two among the numerous peculiarities of Mr Noggs, which struck an inexperienced observer at first sight.
′I am going to the London Tavern this morning,′ said Mr Nickleby.
′Public meeting?′ inquired Noggs.
Mr Nickleby nodded. ′I expect a letter from the solicitor respecting that mortgage of Ruddle′s. If it comes at all, it will be here by the two o′clock delivery. I shall leave the city about that time and walk to Charing Cross on the left-hand side of the way; if there are any letters, come and meet me, and bring them with you.′
Noggs nodded; and as he nodded, there came a ring at the office bell. The master looked up from his papers, and the clerk calmly remained in a stationary position.
′The bell,′ said Noggs, as though in explanation. ′At home?′
′Yes.′
′To anybody?′
′Yes.′
′To the tax-gatherer?′
′No! Let him call again.′
Noggs gave vent to his usual grunt, as much as to say ′I thought so!′ and, the ring being repeated, went to the door, whence he presently returned, ushering in, by the name of Mr Bonney, a pale gentleman in a violent hurry, who, with his hair standing up in great disorder all over his head, and a very narrow white cravat tied loosely round his throat, looked as if he had been knocked up in the night and had not dressed himself since.
′My dear Nickleby,′ said the gentleman, taking off a white hat which was so full of papers that it would scarcely stick upon his head, ′there′s not a moment to lose; I have a cab at the door. Sir Matthew Pupker takes the chair, and three members of Parliament are positively coming. I have seen two of them safely out of bed. The third, who was at Crockford′s all night, has just gone home to put a clean shirt on, and take a bottle or two of soda water, and will certainly be with us, in time to address the meeting. He is a little excited by last night, but never mind that; he always speaks the stronger for it.′
′It seems to promise pretty well,′ said Mr Ralph Nickleby, whose deliberate manner was strongly opposed to the vivacity of the other man of business.
′Pretty well!′ echoed Mr Bonney. ′It′s the finest idea that was ever started. "United Metropolitan Improved Hot Muffin and Crumpet Baking and Punctual Delivery Company. Capital, five millions, in five hundred thousand shares of ten pounds each." Why the very name will get the shares up to a premium in ten days.′
′And when they ARE at a premium,′ said Mr Ralph Nickleby, smiling.
′When they are, you know what to do with them as well as any man alive, and how to back quietly out at the right time,′ said Mr Bonney, slapping the capitalist familiarly on the shoulder. ′By-the-bye, what a VERY remarkable man that clerk of yours is.′
′Yes, poor devil!′ replied Ralph, drawing on his gloves. ′Though Newman Noggs kept his horses and hounds once.′
′Ay, ay?′ said the other carelessly.
′Yes,′ continued Ralph, ′and not many years ago either; but he squandered his money, invested it anyhow, borrowed at interest, and in short made first a thorough fool of himself, and then a beggar. He took to drinking, and had a touch of paralysis, and then came here to borrow a pound, as in his better days I had—′
′Done business with him,′ said Mr Bonney with a meaning look.
′Just so,′ replied Ralph; ′I couldn′t lend it, you know.′
′Oh, of course not.
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