IV.—The Master of the New Suburb
“The Nook.” Is Mr. Jupp in?
Mrs. Jupp. No, lady, I can’t say as he’s in just at the moment, but I daresay I could find him. He’s very likely at “The Limes,” or “Bellaggio,” or up at our other garden.
“The Nook.” I want to see him very particularly. It’s about my garden. I live at “The Nook,” you know, and I want Mr. Jupp to come to me regularly.
Mrs. Jupp. Yes, lady; but I think you’d better see Jupp yourself. I’ll go and find him if you’ll take a chair.
“The Nook.” But I could go perfectly well. Both those houses are on my way back.
Mrs. Jupp. Oh no, lady; you sit down; I’ll fetch him.
[Mrs. Jupp fetches Jupp from “The Green Man.”]
“The Nook.” Oh! Mr. Jupp, I want you to come to my garden every Friday. What do you charge for that?
Mr. Jupp. Fridays, mum, I’m engaged at “Bellyvista.”
“The Nook.” Then Wednesdays.
Mr. Jupp. Wednesdays, mum, I go to “The Red Bungalow.”
“The Nook.” All day?
Mr. Jupp. Yes, mum, all day. By rights I ought to be there all the week, there’s that work to be done.
“The Nook.” Mondays, then? Are you engaged on Mondays?
Mr. Jupp. Yes, mum; on Mondays I belongs to “Sans Souci.”
“The Nook.” But this is Monday. Why aren’t you there now?
Mr. Jupp. I am, mum. This is my tea-time.
“The Nook.” Couldn’t you give me your tea-times? You shall have tea—anything you like—in the garden, and if you gave me that hour every evening all through the week I daresay it would do.
Mr. Jupp. What, mum, work all through my tea-time!
“The Nook.” I should pay you for it, of course. And really you’re much better without tea. You’ll enjoy your supper all the more, you know. Wouldn’t he, Mrs. Jupp?
Mrs. Jupp. Oh! I never interfere with Jupp’s affairs. Jupp must answer for himself.
“The Nook.” Well, then, Mr. Jupp, couldn’t you give me an hour in the early morning before you start at the other houses?
Mr. Jupp. What about my own garden, mum? When am I going to do that?
“The Nook.” Of course I should pay you well for coming then.
Mr. Jupp. What were you thinking of giving, mum?
“The Nook.” Well, I would give you eightpence an hour—that’s four shillings a week. Will you come? Are there no other gardeners here?
Mr. Jupp. No, mum, no one; and even if there was, he wouldn’t be any use. He wouldn’t understand the soil. It’s very curious soil about here.
“The Nook.” Well, will you come?
Mr. Jupp. I’ll let you know, mum. I’ll think about it and let you know. There’s so many after me I have to be careful, mum. But I’ll let you know.
“The Nook.” Can’t you decide now? I’ll give you tenpence an hour.
Mr. Jupp. I’ll let you know, mum.
[Exit “The Nook”; enter “La Hacienda.”]
“La Hacienda.” Is Mr. Jupp in?
Mrs. Jupp. No, sir. I can’t say he’s in just at the moment, but he’s not far away.
“La Hacienda.” Where do you think he is?
Mrs. Jupp. Well, he might be at “Sans Souci,” and he might be at “Bellyvista,” or up at our other garden, perhaps. You see, being the only gardener about here, he’s so much in request. If you’ll take a seat I’ll fetch him.
[She fetches Jupp from “The Green Man.”]
“La Hacienda.” Mr. Jupp, I want to arrange with you about my garden. What day will suit you best?
Mr. Jupp. I don’t know, sir, as I’ve got any day.
“La Hacienda.” You don’t mean to say you’re full up? The whole week?
Mr. Jupp. I might be able to squeeze in an hour here and there. Suppose—I only say suppose, mind—I was to come for an hour every morning before I started in regular at my day’s work, wherever it might be—at “The Nook,” or “Bellyvista,” or “Sans Souci,” or “The Red Bungalow,” or “The Corner House,” or wherever it was? Although, of course, I ought to be in my own garden then, as the missus here well knows. What would it be worth your while to give me?
“La Hacienda.” For an hour every morning early?
Mr. Jupp. Yes, sir, time I ought to be giving to my own garden.
“La Hacienda.” Well, as it’s important, and you seem to be the only jobbing gardener about here——
Mr. Jupp. No, sir, there’s no other, and even if there was, he wouldn’t be any good. He wouldn’t understand the soil. It’s very curious soil about here. It’s a matter of a lifetime to learn it.
“La Hacienda.” Well, I wouldn’t mind as much as a shilling an hour, at any rate at first. Would that do?
Mr. Jupp. Well, I’ll think about it, and let you know, sir. I can’t decide anything till I’ve seen the gentleman at “The Trossachs.” He has the first claim on any of my spare time, such as it is; but I’ll let you know.
[Exit “La Hacienda”; enter “The Cedars,” on a similar errand.]