Early in November Mr Tappitt officially announced his intention of abdicating, and the necessary forms and deeds and parchment obligations were drawn out signed and sealed, for the giving up of the brewery to Luke Rowan. Mr Honyman’s clerk revelled in thinly covered folio sheets to the great comfort and profit of his master; while Mr Sharpit went about Baslehurst declaring that Tappitt was an egregious ass, and hinting that Rowan was little better than a clever swindler. What he said, however, had but little effect on Baslehurst. It had become generally under stood that Rowan would spend money in the town, employing labour and struggling to go ahead, and Baslehurst knew that such a man was desirable as a citizen. The parchments were prepared, and the signatures were written with the necessary amount of witnessing, and Tappitt and Rowan once more met each other on friendly terms. Tappitt had endeavoured to avoid this, pleading, both to Honyman and to his wife, that his personal dislike to the young man was as great as ever; but they had not permitted him thus to indulge his wrath. Mr Honyman pointed out to Mrs Tappitt that such ill humour might be very detrimental to their future interests, and Tappitt had been made to give way. We may as well declare at once that the days of Tappitt’s domestic dominion were over, as is generally the case with a man who retires from work and allows himself to be placed, as a piece of venerable furniture, in the chimney corner. Hitherto he, and he only, had known what funds could be made available out of the brewery for household purposes; and Mrs Tappitt had been subject, at every turn of her life, to provoking intimations of. reduced profits: but now there was the clear thousand a year, and she could demand her rights in accordance with that sum. Tappitt, too, could never again stray away from home with mysterious hints that matters connected with malt and hops must be discussed at places in which beer was consumed. He had no longer left to him any excuse for deviating from the regular course of his life even by a hair’s breadth; and before two years were over he had learned to regard it almost as a favour to be allowed to take a walk with one of his own girls. No man should abdicate — unless, indeed, he does so for his soul’s advantage. As to happiness in this life it is hardly compatible with that diminished respect which ever attends the relinquishing of labour. Otium cum dignitate is a dream. There is no such position at any rate for the man who has once worked. He may have the ease or he may have the dignity; but he can hardly combine the two. This truth the unfortunate Tappitt learned before he had been three months settled in the Torquay villa.
He was called upon to meet Rowan on friendly terms, and he obeyed. The friendship was not very cordial, but such as it was it served its purpose. The meeting took place in the dining-room of the brewery, and Mrs Tappitt was present on the occasion. The lady received her visitor with some little affectation of grandeur, while T., standing with his hands in his pockets on his own rug, looked like a whipped hound. The right hand he was soon forced to bring forth, as Rowan demanded it that he might shake it.
“I am very glad that this affair has been settled between us amicably.” said Luke, while he still held the hand of the abdicating brewer.
“Yes; well I suppose it’s for the best,” said Tappitt, bringing out his words uncomfortably and with hesitation. “Take care and mind what you’re about, or I suppose I shall have to come back again.”
“There’ll be no fear of that, I think,” said Rowan.
“I hope not,” said Mrs Tappitt, with a tone that showed that she was much better able to master the occasion than her husband. “I hope not; but this is a great undertaking for so young a man, and I trust you feel your responsibility. It would be disagreeable to us, of course, to have to return to the brewery after having settled ourselves pleasantly at Torquay; but we shall have to do so if things go wrong with you.”
“Don’t be frightened, Mrs Tappitt; you shall never have to come back here.”
“I hope not; but it is always well to be on one’s guard. I am sure you must be aware that Mr Tappitt has behaved to you very generously; and if you have the high principle for which we are willing to give you credit, and which you ought to possess for the management of such an undertaking as the brewery, you will be careful that me and my daughters shan’t be put to inconvenience by any delay in paying up the income regularly.”
“Don’t be afraid about that, Mrs Tappitt.”
“Into the bank on quarter day, if you please, Mr Rowan. Short accounts make long friends. And as Mr T. won’t want to be troubled with letters and suchlike, you can send me a line to Montpellier Villa, Torquay, just to say that it’s done.”
“Oh, I’ll see to that,” said Tappitt.
“My dear, as Mr Rowan is so young for the business there’ll be nothing like getting him to write a letter himself, saying that the money is paid. It’ll keep him up to the mark like, and I’m sure I shan’t mind the trouble.”
“Don’t you be alarmed about the money, Mrs Tappitt,” said Rowan, laughing; “and in order that you may know how the old shop is going on, I’ll always send you at Christmas sixteen gallons of the best stuff we’re brewing.”
“That will be a very proper little attention, Mr Rowan, and we shall be happy to drink success to the establishment. Here’s some cake and wine on the table, and perhaps you’ll do us the favour to take a glass — so as to bury any past unkindness. T., my love, will you pour out the wine?”
It was twelve o’clock in the day, and the port wine, which had been standing for the last week in its decanter, was sipped by Luke Rowan without any great relish. But it also served its purpose — and the burial service over past unkindness was performed with as much heartiness as the nature of the entertainment admitted. It was not as yet full four months since Rowan had filled Rachel’s glass with champagne in that same room. Then he had made himself quite at home in the house as a member of Mr Tappitt’s family; but now he was going to be at home there as master of the establishment. As he put down the glass he could not help looking round the room, and suggesting to himself the changes he would make. As seen at present, the parlour of the brewery was certainly a dull room. It was very long since the wainscoting had been painted, longer since the curtains or carpets had been renewed. It was dark and dingy. But then so were the Tappitts themselves. Before Rachel should be brought there he would make the place as bright as herself.
They said to him no word about his marriage. As for Tappitt he said few words about anything; and Mrs Tappitt, with all her wish to be gracious, could not bring herself to mention Rachel Ray. Even between her and her daughters there was no longer any utterance of Rachel’s name. She had once declared to Augusta, with irrepressible energy, that the man was a greater fool than she had ever believed possible, but after that it had been felt that the calamity would be best endured in silence.
When that interview in the dining room was over, Rowan saw no more of Mrs Tappitt. Business made it needful that he should be daily about the brewery, and there occasionally he met the poor departing man wandering among the vats and empty casks like a brewer’s ghost. There was no word spoken between them as to business. The accounts, the keys, and implements were all handed over through Worts; and Rowan found himself in possession of the whole establishment with no more trouble than would have been settling himself in a new lodging.
That promise which he had half made of sending bride-cake to Mrs Sturt before Christmas was not kept, but it was broken only by a little. They were married early in January. In D............