R. M. Ballantyne
Dusty Diamonds Cut and Polished: A Tale of City Arab Life and Adventure
Chapter One.
An Accident and some of its Curious Results
Every one has heard of those poniesthose shaggy, chubby, innocent-looking little creaturesfor which the world is indebted, we suppose, to Shetland.
Well, once on a time, one of the most innocent-looking, chubbiest, and shaggiest of Shetland poniesa dark brown onestood at the door of a mansion in the west-end of London.
It was attached to a wickerwork vehicle which resembled a large clothes-basket on small wheels. We do not mean, of course, that the pony was affectionately attached to it. No; the attachment was involuntary and unavoidable, by reason of a brand-new yellow leather harness with brass buckles. It objected to the attachment, obviously, for it sidled this way, and straddled that way, and whisked its enormous little tail, and tossed its rotund little head, and stamped its ridiculously small feet; and champed its miniature bit, as if it had been a war-horse of the largest size, fit to carry a Wallace, a Bruce, or a Richard of the Lion-heart, into the midst of raging battle.
And no wonder; for many months had not elapsed since that brown creature had kicked up its little heels, and twirled its tail, and shaken its shaggy mane in all the wild exuberance of early youth and unfettered freedom on the heather hills of its native island.
In the four-wheeled basket sat a little girl whom it is useless to describe as beautiful. She was far beyond that! Her delicate colour, her little straight nose, her sparkling teeth, her rosebud of a mouth, her enormous blue eyes, and floods of yellow hairpooh! these are not worth mentioning in the same sentence with her expression. It was that which carried all before it, and swept up the adoration of man-and-woman-kind as with the besom of fascination.
She was the only child of Sir Richard Brandon. Sir Richard was a knight and a widower. He was knighted, not because of personal merit, but because he had been mayor of some place, sometime or other, when some one connected with royalty had something important to do with it! Little Diana was all that this knight and widower had on earth to care for, except, of course, his horses and dogs, and guns, and club, and food. He was very particular as to his food. Not that he was an epicure, or a gourmand, or luxurious, or a hard drinker, or anything of that sortby no means. He could rough it, (so he said), as well as any man, and put up with whatever chanced to be going, but, when there was no occasion for roughing it, he did like to see things well cooked and nicely served; and wine, you know, was not worth drinkingpositively nauseousif it was not of the best.
Sir Richard was a poor mana very poor man. He had only five thousand a yeara mere pittance; and he managed this sum in such a peculiar way that he never had anything wherewith to help a struggling friend, or to give to the poor, or to assist the various religious and charitable institutions by which he was surrounded; while at certain intervals in the year he experienced exasperating difficulty in meeting the demands of those torments to society, the tradespeoplepeople who ought to be ashamed of themselves for not being willing to supply the nobility and gentry with food and clothing gratuitously! Moreover, Sir Richard never by any chance laid anything by.
Standing by the ponys head, and making tender efforts to restrain his waywardness, stood a boya street boya city Arab. To a Londoner any description of this boy would be superfluous, but it may be well to state, for the benefit of the world at large, that the class to which he belonged embodies within its pale the quintessence of rollicking mischief, and the sublimate of consummate insolence.
This remarkable boy was afflicted with a species of dancenot that of Saint Vitus, but a sort of double-shuffle, with a stamp of the right foot at the endin which he was prone to indulge, consciously and unconsciously, at all times, and the tendency to which he sometimes found it difficult to resist. He was beginning to hum the sharply-defined air to which he was in the habit of performing this dance, when little Diana said, in a silvery voice quite in keeping with her beauty
Let go his head, boy; Im quite sure that he cannot bear restraint.
It may be remarked here that little Di was probably a good judge on that point, being herself nearly incapable of bearing restraint.
Id better not, miss, replied the boy with profound respect in tone and manner, for he had yet to be paid for the job; he seems raither frisky, an might take a fancy to bolt, you know.
Let his head go, I say! returned Miss Diana with a flashing of the blue eyes, and a pursing of the rosebud mouth that proved her to be one of Adams race after all.
Vell, now, dont you think, rejoined the boy, in an expostulating tone, that it would be as veil to vait for the guvnor before givin im is ead?
Do as I bid you, sir! said Di, drawing herself up like an empress.
Still the street boy held the ponys head, and it is probable that he would have come off the victor in this controversy, had not Dianas dignified action given to the reins which she held a jerk. The brown pony, deeming this full permission to go on, went off with a bound that overturned the boy, and caused the fore-wheel to strike him on the leg as it passed.
Springing up with the intention of giving chase to the runaway, the little fellow again fell, with a sharp cry of pain, for his leg was broken.
At the same moment Sir Richard Brandon issued from the door of his mansion leisurely, and with an air of calm serenity, pulling on his gloves. It was one of the knights maxims that, under all circumstances, a gentleman should maintain an appearance of imperturbable serenity. When, however, he suddenly beheld the street boy falling, and his daughter standing up in her wickerwork chariot, holding on to the brown pony like an Amazon warrior of ancient times, his maxim somehow evaporated. His serenity vanished. So did his hat as he bounded from beneath it, and left it far behind in his mad and hopeless career after the runaway.
A policeman, coming up just as Sir Richard disappeared, went to the assistance of the street boy.
Not much hurt, youngster, he said kindly, as he observed that the boy was very pale, and seemed to be struggling hard to repress his feelings.
Vell, praps I is an praps I aint, Bobby, replied the boy with an unsuccessful attempt at a smile, for he felt safe to chaff or insult his foe in the circumstances, but vether hurt or not it vont much matter to you, vill it?
He fainted as he spoke, and the look of half-humorous impudence, as well as that of pain, gave place to an expression of infantine repose.
The policeman was so struck by the unusual sight of a street boy looking innocent and unconscious, that he stooped and raised him quite tenderly in his arms.
Youd better carry him in here, said Sir Richard Brandons butler, who had come out. I saw it appen, and suspect he must be a good deal damaged.
Sir Richards footman backing the invitation, the boy was carried into the house accordingly, laid on the housemaids bed, and attended to by the cook, while the policeman went out to look after the runaways.
Oh! what ever shall we do? exclaimed the cook, as the boy showed symptoms of returning consciousness.
Send for the doctor, suggested the housemaid.
No, said the butler, send for a cab, and ave the boy sent home. I fear that master will blame me for givin way to my feelins, and wont thank me for bringin im in here. You know he is rather averse to the lower orders. Besides, the poor boy will be better attended to at ome, no doubt. I dare say youd like to go ome, wouldnt you? he said, observing that the boy was looking at him with a rather curious expression.
I dessay I should, if I could, he answered, with a mingled glance of mischief and pain, but if youll undertake to carry me, old cock, Ill be appy to go.
Ill send you in a cab, my poor boy, returned the butler, and git a cabman as Im acquainted with to take care of you.
All right! go aead, ye cripples, returned the boy, as the cook approached him with a cup of warm soup.
Oh! aint it prime! he said, opening his eyes very wide indeed, and smacking his lips. I think Ill go in for a smashed pin every day o my life for a drop o that stuff. Surely it must be wot they drinks in eaven! Have ee got much more o the same on and?
Never mind, but you drink away while youve got the chance, replied the amiable cook; theres the cab coming, so youve no time to lose.
Vell, I am sorry I aint able to old more, an my pockets wont old it neither, bein the wuss for wear. Thankee, missus.
He managed, by a strong effort, to dispose of a little more soup before the cab drew up.
Where do you live? asked the butler, as he placed the boy carefully in the bottom of the cab with his unkempt head resting on a hassock, which he gave him to understand was a parting gift from the housemaid.
Vere do I live? he repeated. Vy, mostly in the streets; my last ome was a sugar barrel, the one before was a donkey-cart, but I do sometimes condescend to wisit my parents in their mansion ouse in Vitechapel.
And what is your name? Sir Richard may wish to inquire for youperhaps.
May he? Oh! Im sorry I aint got my card to leave, but you just tell him, Johnis it, or Thomas?Ah! Thomas. I knowed it couldnt elp to be one or tother;you just tell your master that my name is Robert, better known as Bobby, Frog. But Ive lots of aliases, if that name dont please im. Good-bye, Thomas. Farewell, and if for ever, thenyou know the rest o the quotation, if your eddications not bin neglected, wich is probable it was. Oh! by the way. This assik is the gift of the ouse-maid? You observe the answer, cabby, in case you and I may differ about it ereafter.
Yes, said the amused butler, a gift from Jessie.
Ah!jus so. An shes tender-earted an ony fifteen. Wots er tother name? Summers, eh? Vell, its prettier than Vinters. Tell er Ill not forget er. Now, cabmanome!
A few minutes more, and Bobby Frog was on his way to the mansion in Whitechapel, highly delighted with his recent feast, but suffering extremely from his broken limb.
Meanwhile, the brown ponyhaving passed a bold costermonger, who stood shouting defiance at it, and waving both arms till it was close on him, when he stepped quickly out of its wayeluded a dray-man, and entered on a fine sweep of street, where there seemed to be no obstruction worth mentioning. By that time it had left the agonised father far behind.
The day was fine; the air bracing. The utmost strength of poor little Diana, and she applied it well, made no impression whatever on the ponys tough mouth. Influences of every kind were favourable. On the illogical principle, probably, that being in for a penny justified being in for a pound, the pony laid himself out for a glorious run. He warmed to his work, caused the dust to fly, and the clothes-basket to advance with irregular bounds and swayings as he scampered along, driving many little dogs wild with delight, and two or three cats mad with fear. Gradually he drew towards the more populous streets, and here, of course, the efforts on the part of the public to arrest him became more frequent, also more decided, though not more successful. At last an inanimate object effected what man and boy had failed to accomplish.
In a wild effort to elude a demonstrative cabman near the corner of one of the main thoroughfares, the brown pony brought the wheels of the vehicle into collision with a lamp-post. That lamp-post went down before the shock like a tall head of grain before the sickle. The front wheels doubled up into a sudden embrace, broke loose, and went across the road, one into a greengrocers shop, the other into a chemists window. Thus diversely end many careers that begin on a footing of equality! The hind-wheels went careering along the road like a new species of bicycle, until brought up by a donkey-cart, while the basket chariot rolled itself violently round the lamp-post, like a shattered remnant, as if resolved, before perishing, to strangle the author of all the mischief. As to the pony, it stopped, and seemed surprised at first by the unexpected finale, but the look quickly changedor appeared to changeto one of calm contentment as it surveyed the ruin.
But what of the fair little charioteer? Truly, in regard to her, a miracle, or something little short of one, had occurred. The doctrine that extremes meet contains much truth in ittruth which is illustrated and exemplified more frequently, we think, than is generally supposed. A tremendous accident is often much less damaging to the person who experiences it than a slight one. In little Dianas case, the extremes had met, and the result was absolute safety. She was shot out of her basket carriage after the manner of a sky-rocket, but the impulse was so effective that, instead of causing her to fall on her head and break her pretty little neck, it made her perform a complete somersault, and alight upon her feet. Moreover, the spot on which she alighted was opportune, as well as admirably suited to the circumstances.
At the moment, ignorant of what was about to happen, police-constable Number 666we are not quite sure of what divisionin all the plenitude of power, and blue, and six-feet-two, approached the end of a street entering at right angles to the one down which our little heroine had flown. He was a superb specimen of humanity, this constable, with a chest and shoulders like Hercules, and the figure of Apollo. He turned the corner just as the child had completed her somersault, and received her two little feet fairly in the centre of his broad breast, driving him flat on his back more effectively than could have been done by the best prize-fighter in England!
Number 666 proved a most effectual buffer, for Di, after planting her blow on his chest, sat plump down on his stomach, off which she sprang in an agony of consternation, exclaiming
Oh! I have killed him! Ive killed him! and burst into tears.
No, my little lady, said Number 666, as he rose with one or two coughs and replaced his helmet, youve not quite done for me, though youve come nearer the mark than any man has ever yet accomplished. Come, now, what can I do for you? Youre not hurt, I hope?
This sally was received with a laugh, almost amounting to a cheer, by the half-horrified crowd which had quickly assembled to witness, as it expected, a fatal accident.
Hurt? oh! no, Im not hurt, exclaimed Di, while tears still converted her eyes into blue lakelets as she looked anxiously up in the face of Number 666; but Im quite sure you must be hurtawfully. Im so sorry! Indeed I am, for I didnt mean to knock you down.
This also was received by the crowd with a hearty laugh, while Number 666 sought to comfort the child by earnestly assuring her that he was not hurt in the leastonly a little stunned at first, but that was quite gone.
Wot does she mean by knockin of im down? asked a small butchers boy, who had come on the scene just too late, of a small bakers boy who had, happily, been there from the beginning.