Verty paused for a moment on the threshold; then took off his hat and went in.
Round jacket turned round.
Verty gazed at him for a moment in silence; then smiling:
"What is the matter, sir?" he said.
"Matter, sir!" cried Roundjacket—"everything is the matter, sir!"
Verty shook his head, as much as to say, that this was a dreadful state of things, and echoed the word "everything!"
"Yes, sir! everything!—folly is the matter!—crime is the matter!—statutory misdemeanor is the matter!"
And Roundjacket, overcome with indignation, struck the newspaper a savage blow with his ruler.
"I am the victim, sir, of editorial iniquity, and typographical abomination!"
"Anan?" said Verty.