So that when I came back to the office after my visit at home, and took
my seat at the old day-book opposite the dingy window that looks into
Birchin Lane, I pretty soon let the fellows know that Mrs. Hoggarty,
though she had not given me a large sum of money, as I expected--indeed,
I had promised a dozen of them a treat down the river, should the
promised riches have come to me--I let them know, I say, that though my
aunt had not given me any money, she had given me a splendid diamond,
worth at least thirty guineas, and that some day I would sport it at the
shop.

"Oh, let's see it!" says Abednego, whose father was a mock-jewel and gold-
lace merchant in Hanway Yard; and I promised that he should have a sight
of it as soon as it was set. As my pocket-money was run out too (by
coach-hire to and from home, five shillings to our maid at home, ten to
my aunt's maid and man, five-and-twenty shillings lost at whist, as I
said, and fifteen-and-six paid for a silver scissors for the dear little
fingers of Somebody), Roundhand, who was very good-natured, asked me to
dine, and advanced me 7_l_. 1_s_. 8_d_., a month's salary. It was at
Roundhand's house, Myddelton Square, Pentonville, over a fillet of veal
and bacon and a glass of port, that I learned and saw how his wife ill-
treated him; as I have told before. Poor fellow!--we under-clerks all
thought it was a fine thing to sit at a desk by oneself, and have 50_l_.
per month, as Roundhand had; but I've a notion that Hoskins and I,
blowing duets on the flute together in our second floor in Salisbury
Square, were a great deal more at ease than our head--and more _in
harmony_, too; though we made sad work of the music, certainly.

One day Gus Hoskins and I asked leave from Roundhand to be off at three
o'clock, as we had _particular business_ at the West End. He knew it was
about the great Hoggarty diamond, and gave us permission; so off we set.