His fat acquaintance, who seemed but little disposed to be offended with impunity, instantly replaced his hat on his head, and with a look that implied I'll fit you for this! put his hands to his sides, and following him, said “Sir, I must make bold to beg the favour of exchanging a few words with you.”
“Ay, Sir,” answered Mr Harrel, “come to me to-morrow, and you shall exchange as many as you please.”
“Nothing like the time present, Sir,” answered the man; “as for to-morrow, I believe it intends to come no more; for I have heard of it any time these three years. I mean no reflections, Sir, but let every man have his right. That's what I say, and that's my notion of things.”
Mr Harrel, with a violent execration, asked what he meant by dunning him at such a place as Vauxhall?
“One place, Sir,” he replied, “is as good as another place; for so as what one does is good, 'tis no matter for where it may be. A man of business never wants a counter if he can meet with a joint-stool. For my part, I'm all for a clear conscience, and no bills without receipts to them.”
“And if you were all for broken bones,” cried Mr Harrel, angrily, “I would oblige you with them without delay.”
“Sir,” cried the man, equally provoked, “this is talking quite out of character, for as to broken bones, there's ne'er a person in all England, gentle nor simple, can say he's a right to break mine, for I'm not a person of that sort, but a man of as good property as another man; and there's ne'er a customer I have in the world that's more his own man than myself.”
“Lord bless me, Mr Hobson,” cried Mrs Harrel, “don't follow us in this manner! If we meet any of our acquaintance they'll think us half crazy.”
“Ma'am,” answered Mr Hobson, again taking off his hat, “if I'm treated with proper respect, no man will behave more generous than myself; but if I'm affronted, all I can say is, it may go harder with some folks than they think for.”
Here a little mean-looking man, very thin, and almost bent double with perpetual cringing, came up to Mr Hobson, and pulling him by the sleeve, whispered, yet loud enough to be heard, “It's surprizeable to me, Mr Hobson, you can behave so out of the way! For my part, perhaps I've as much my due as another person, but I dares to say I shall have it when it's convenient, and I'd scorn for to mislest a gentleman when he's taking his pleasure.”