"That's very well put," said Mr. Kantwise.
"Waiter," thundered out Mr. Moulder, as though he imagined that that functionary was down the yard at the taproom instead of standing within three feet of his elbow. "Is this gent a commercial, or is he not? Because if not,—then I'll trouble you to send Mr. Crump here. My compliments to Mr. Crump, and I wish to see him." Now Mr. Crump was the landlord of the Bull Inn.
"Master's just stepped out, down the street," said James.
"Why don't you answer my question, sir?" said Moulder, becoming redder and still more red about his shirt-collars.
"The gent said as how he was 'mercial," said the poor man. "Was I to go to contradict a gent and tell him he wasn't when he said as how he was?"
"If you please," said Mr. Dockwrath, "we will not bring the waiter into this discussion. I asked for the commercial room, and he did his duty in showing me to the door of it. The fact I take to be this; in the south of England the rules to which you refer are not kept so strictly as in these more mercantile localities."
"I've always observed that," said Kantwise.
"I travelled for three years in Devonshire, Somersetshire, and Wiltshire," said Moulder, "and the commercial rooms were as well kept there as any I ever see."
"I alluded to Surrey and Kent," said Mr. Dockwrath.
"They're uncommonly miscellaneous in Surrey and Kent," said Kantwise. "There's no doubt in the world about that."