“Certainly, sir,” replied Birney; “I think so, if you have any business of importance with me.”
“Well, I rayther think you will find it important—that is, to your own interests. You are an attorney, Mr. Birney, and I think you will admit that every man in this world, as it goes, ought to look to 'is own interests.”
Birney looked at him, and said, very gravely, “Pray, sir, what is your business with me? My time, sir, is valuable. My time is money—a portion of my landed property, sir.”
“Haw! Very good; but you Hirish are so fiery and impatient! However, I will come to the point. You are about to joust that young scamp, by the way, out of the title and property. I say so, because I am up to the thing. Yet you want dockiments to establish your case—haw?”
“Well, sir, and suppose we do; you, I presume, as the friend of Lord Dunroe, are not coming to furnish us with them?”
“That is, Mr. Birney, as we shall understand one another. You failed in your mission to France?”
“I shall hear any proposal, sir, you have to make, but will answer no questions on the subject until I understand your motive for putting them.”
“Good—very cool and cautious—but suppose, now, that I, who know you 'ave failed in procuring the dockiments in question, could supply you with them—haw!—do you understand me now?”
“Less than ever, sir, I assure you. Observe that you introduced yourself to me as the friend of Lord Dunroe.”
“Merely to connect myself with the proceedings between you. I 'ave or am about to discard him, but I shaunt go about the bush no longer. I'm a native of Lon'on, w'at is tarmed a cockney—haw, haw!—and he 'as treated me ill—very ill—and I am detarmined to retaliate.”