“I am sorry too, you won’t go, Squire,” added he, “for minister seems kinder dull.”
“Don’t say another word, Mr. Slick,” said I; “every thing shall give way to him.” And locking up my writing-desk I said: “I am ready.”
“Stop, Squire,” said he, “I’ve got a favour to ask of you. Don’t for gracious sake, say nothin’ before Mr. Hopewell about that ‘ere lark I had last night arter landin’, it would sorter worry him, and set him off a-preachin’, and I’d rather he’d strike me any time amost than lectur, for he does it so tender and kindly, it hurts my feelins like, a considerable sum. I’ve had a pretty how-do-ye-do about it this mornin’, and have had to plank down handsum’, and do the thing genteel; but Mister Landlord found, I reckon, he had no fool to deal with, nother. He comes to me, as soon as I was cleverly up this mornin’, lookin’ as full of importance, as Jube Japan did when I put the Legation button on him.
“‘Bad business this, Sir,’ says he; ‘never had such a scene in my house before, Sir; have had great difficulty to prevent my sarvants takin’ the law of you.’
“‘Ah,’ sais I to myself, ‘I see how the cat jumps; here’s a little tid bit of extortion now; but you won’t find that no go, I don’t think.’
“‘You will have to satisfy them, Sir,’ says he, ‘or take the consequences.’
“‘Sartainly,’ said I, ‘any thin’ you please: I leave it entirely to you; jist name what you think proper, and I will liquidate it.’
“‘I said, I knew you would behave like a gentleman, Sir,’ sais he, ‘for, sais I, don’t talk to me of law, name it to the gentleman, and he’ll do what is right; he’ll behave liberal, you may depend.’
“‘You said right,’ sais I, ‘and now, Sir, what’s the damage?’
“‘Fifty pounds, I should think about the thing, Sir,’ said he.