The man regarded his customers shrewdly for a moment, and then said,—
“The gentlemen may have all of this clothing, all of the most excellent garments which they have selected, for the small sum of one hundred ten rubles.”
“I’ll give you just fifty-five rubles for everything we’ve picked out,” said Sidney.
The man threw up his hands in supplication, and raised his eyes in horror.
“Would your lordship rob a poor defenseless man?” he asked, most humbly.
“My lordship doesn’t intend to rob anybody,” said Sidney, while Raymond snickered. “But if you don’t want to sell the things, all right. Come on, Ray.”
The man interposed hastily. “Business is so bad with the cruel war, that I am willing to take much less than the clothing is worth. But fifty-five rubles!” And he raised his hands in protest.
“All right,” said Sidney, “we’ll go somewhere else.” And he started toward the door.
“If the gentleman insists,” interposed the merchant again in a tone of agony, “he shall have the excellent clothing at his own price, though I lose half the value of the goods.”
“Very well,” said Sidney; “now show us a place where we can put the things on.”