658 AN OXFORD-STREET REMINISCENCE. 



the bag, and having examined it said, as though to himself, " This is 

 really a prodigious fine fiddle !" He then placed it to his shoulder, 

 and negligently passing the bow across the strings, produced a few 

 notes, which appeared to the hosier of such exquisite delicacy, that 

 the passion of gain was for a few seconds suspended. 



" This fiddle," said the stranger, " appears to be a Cremonae of the 

 best tune. Mr. Nottingham," he continued, looking up at the hosier, 

 " I have known you some years, and have dealt always with you 

 I know you are an honest man I will riot inform you what is my 

 opinion of the worth of this instrument ; but here is a thirty pound 

 note, for which you will give me a receipt ; and if, when the wretched 

 musician again makes his appearance, you can purchase it for fifty 

 pounds, this note, which I have now put into your hands, shall be 

 your own." When he had thus spoken, he gave him the note, toge- 

 ther with his card ; and having received an acknowledgment for the 

 note, departed. 



He had scarcely been gone from the shop above an hour, when the 

 musician, in a great hurry, and much worse clothed than before, ran 

 hastily into the shop, and, putting down the twelve shillings on the 

 counter, requested to have his fiddle. 



" Ah !" quoth the man of yarn, " I'm delighted to see you, I wish 

 to have a few moments' conversation with you ;" and, taking him into 

 the back parlour, informed him of the liberal offer which the gentle- 

 man had made who had been there in the morning. 



".With respect to the fiddle," said the musician, " I am well aware 

 that it even exceeds in value what you have offered ; nor would I 

 think of selling it, but that my distresses are great, and customers 

 are difficult to procure. To tell you the truth, I am now under 

 arrest, an officer is with me outside, and I have only been allowed a 

 few moments to fetch my fiddle, in order to carry it to a friend, who 

 is ready to advance me upon it a sum of money sufficient to relieve 

 me from arrest." The hosier saw that such was the fact. 



" I will go with you," said he, " to the gentleman's house, and 

 receive the fifty." " Impossible !" replied the musician. " He may 

 be from home, or otherwise ; I cannot take the risk. The person I 

 allude to is waiting my return." 



The wily hosier now began to suspect that the fiddle would escape, 

 and that the thirty pounds commission would be lost. He therefore 

 resolved on a bold venture, and added twenty pounds of his own. 



" Wait one moment," said he to the musician, " and you shall 

 receive the fifty pounds." The musician hesitated, as if reluctant to 

 part with his fiddle for the price : he surveyed it with tenderness, 

 and said, " 'Tis my necessities alone which induce me to part with 

 thee, thou cheerful companion of my life the better portion of my 

 existence. But we must separate ; and having been a long time the 

 delight of thy master, thou must now become his support." 



Tears were visible in the eyes of the wretched musician, and, with 

 a trembling hand, he delivered the instrument to the hosier, and 

 having received the fifty pounds, hurried away from the shop in a 

 very distressed state of mind. The hosier almost repented making 

 such a gain from so poor a man. But <f business is business." 



