Cullingworth must, I should think, have been one of their
very largest customers, so I knew very well that my order
would meet with prompt attention.
There remained the more serious matter of the
furniture. I calculated that when my lodgings were paid
for I might, without quite emptying my purse, expend four
pounds upon furniture--not a large allowance for a good
sized villa. That would leave me a few shillings to go
on with, and before they were exhausted Cullingworth's
pound would come in. Those pounds, however, would be
needed for the rent, so I could hardly reckon upon them
at all, as far as my immediate wants went. I found in
the columns of the Birchespool Post that there
was to be a sale of furniture that evening, and I went
down to the auctioneer's rooms, accompanied, much against
my will, by Captain Whitehall, who was very drunk and
affectionate.
"By God, Dr. Munro, sir, I'm the man that's going to
stick to you. I'm only an old sailor-man, sir, with
perhaps more liquor than sense; but I'm the Queen's
servant, and touch my pension every quarter day. I don't
claim to be R. N., but I'm not merchant service either.
Here I am, rotting in lodgings, but by ----, Dr. Munro,
sir, I carried seven thousand stinking Turks from Varna
to Balaclava Bay. I'm with you, Dr. Munro, and we put
this thing through together."
We came to the auction rooms and we stood on the
fringe of the crowd waiting for our chance.
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