His lordship growled.
“You are,” he said, after a pause.
“Exactly so,” said the money-lender. “And now, perhaps, your lordship will give your attention to the matter in hand?”
“Well, I am attending!” grumbled his lordship.
“Then, perhaps, your lordship will give me a cheque on your banker for the total of the bills, interest and expenses. Let me see,” continued the visitor, drawing a large bill-case from his pocket.
“There, keep that confounded thing out of my sight! My head aches quite badly enough without having that thrown in my teeth. Now, look here: I haven’t fifty pounds at the banker’s, and what there is I want for present expenses.”
“Then what does your lordship propose doing?”
“Nothing at all,” said his lordship sulkily.
“Does your lordship wish me to ask payment of the Earl, your father?”
“If you like,” said his lordship, with a grin; “but while he has this fit of the gout on, I should not advise you to get within his reach. He holds to the fine old idea of his Norman ancestors, that knocking a Jew on the head was meritorious. But there! he won’t pay—he can’t, even if he felt ever so disposed. Now, look here, Braham: you must stick some more interest on, and renew the bills.”