ain was struck. My
mother pocketed half-a-crown and with shaky unaccustomed fingers signed
her name across a penny-stamp at the foot of a document which Paragot
had drawn up. I believe each of them was convinced that they had
executed a legal deed. My mother after inspecting me critically for a
moment wiped my nose with the piece of sacking that served as her apron
and handed me over to Paragot, who marched away with his purchase as
proud as if I had been a piece of second-hand furniture picked up cheap.

I may as well remark here that Paragot was not his real name; neither
was Josiah Henkendyke by which he was then known to me. He had a
harmless mania for names, and I have known him use half a dozen. But
that of Paragot which he assumed later as his final alias is the one
with which he is most associated in my mind, and to avoid confusion I
must call him that from the start. Indeed, looking backward down the
years, I wonder how he could ever have been anything else than Paragot.
That Phoebus Apollo could once have borne the name of John Jones is
unimaginable.

"Boy," said he, as we retraced our steps to Tavistock Street, "you are
my thing, my chattel, my _famulus_. No slave of old belonged more
completely to a free-born citizen. You will address me as 'master'!"

"Yes, Sir," said I.

"Master!" he shouted. "_Master_ or _maitre_ or _maestro_ or _magister_
according to the language you are speaking. Now do you understand?"

"Yes, Master," said I.

He nodded approval. At the corner of a by-street he stopped short and
held me at arm's length.

"You are a horrible object, my little Asticot," said he. "I must clothe
you in a manner befitting the Lotus Club."

He ran me into a slop-dealer's and fitted me out in sundry garments in
which, although they were several sizes too large for me, I felt myself
clad like Solomon in all his glory. Then we went home. On the way up to
his room he paused at the scullery. A dishevelled woman was tidying up.

"Mrs. Housekeeper," said he, "allow me to present you our new scullion
pupil. Kindly instruct him in his duties, feed him and wash his head.
Also please remember that he answers to the name of Asticot."

He swung on his heel and went downstairs humming a tune. I remained with
Mrs. Housekeeper who carried out his instructions zealously. I can feel
the soreness on my scalp to this day.

Thus it fell out that I quitted the maternal roof and entered the
service of Paragot. I neve