“Yes, sir,” said Nanny; “but you must wait till I boil some, for there's none hot.”
“Be quick, then,” said he, “for I'm in a devil of a hurry. Shut the door after you, I say. What is the reason that you never do so, often as I have spoken to you about it?”
“Becaise it's never done,” she replied; “nobody ever bids me shut it but yourself, an' that's what makes me forget it.”
“Well, I'll thank you,” he said, “to pay more attention to what I say to you I have reason to think you both intrusive and ungrateful, Nanny; and, mark, unless you show me somewhat more submission, madam, you shall pitch your camp elsewhere. It was I brought you here.”
“Ax your own conscience why, Mr. Hycy.”
“Begone now and get me the hot water,” he said, with a frown of anger and vexation, heightened probably by the state of agitation into which the possession of Vanston's letter had already put him.
We shall not follow him through all the ingenious and dishonorable manoeuvres by which he got the communication safely open-ed; it is enough to say that, in the course of a few minutes, he was enabled to peruse the contents of Vanston's communication, which were as follows:—
Sir,—I beg to enclose you a letter which I received yesterday from the Secretary to the Board of Excise, and to assure you that I feel much pleasure in congratulating you upon its contents, and the satisfactory result of your memorial.
“I am, sir, very sincerely yours,
“Egbert Vanston.