“Perdition seize your A and B, I say!” cried Oriel, as he hastily left the old woman to her philosophy.
“An exemplification of repulsion!” muttered she, as she again commenced endeavouring to dispose of her fish.
Oriel and his companion had entered a street of shops, in which they had no sooner made their appearance than they were surrounded by a crowd of tradespeople, bawling in their ears the excellence and cheapness of their commodities, and endeavouring to pull or entice them into their warehouses, the exteriors of which were covered with immense placards, proclaiming the ruin of the sellers, and the advantages which in consequence would accrue to the fortunate buyers.
“Full fifty per cent. under cost price!” cried one.
“A hundred per cent. below the cost, be assured!” shouted another.
“I must be ruined in a week, sir!” proclaimed a third, as if rejoicing at the near approach of his destruction.
“I am ruined!” screamed a fourth, in a tone of emphatic exultation.
“My family must starve!” exclaimed a fifth, without the slightest expression of regret.
“My family are starving!” confessed a sixth, as if it was a subject of the greatest congratulation.
“I have seven children, sir!” whispered a little man, apparently as the most enticing recommendation of his goods.