"We do not know."
"Imphm. Well, suppose I was to say it was Yersel'?"
"You would tell an officious lie, Mr. Sant." The Pope turned to the woman. "Madam, do We owe you twenty pounds?"
"You owe me a great deal more than that:" she barked.
"Mr. Sant alludes to a specific sum of twenty pounds odd which was due to this lady's deceased husband for books, newspapers, and stationery, supplied some years ago when he kept a shop:" the Pope explained to the cardinals, with a gesture to Talacryn. The Cardinal of Caerleon extracted a slip from the portfolio; and read a receipt for the amount named plus 5 per cent. interest. This document was dated the thirty-first of the previous March. The Pope continued, "You know, Madam, that We paid this bill the moment We were in a position to pay it. You also know that payment was long delayed solely because you yourself, by calumniating and libelling Us to Our employers and to those who called themselves Our friends, prevented Us from earning more than a bare sustenance——"
Jerry burst in, "Well, if Ye've paid her why shouldn't Ye pay me?"
"Because We do not owe you anything."
"Then Ye mean me ta pit some more about Ye in the papers?"
"Listen, Mr. Sant. We look upon you as a deeply injured man——"
"Hech! Now that's something like!"