“Jackson,” said the Colonel, “how long is it since you paid Mr. Carson here any rent?”
Jackson looked at Carson for his cue; but the Colonel rose up indignantly: “Fellow!” he proceeded, “if you tamper with me a single moment, you shall find Mr. Carson badly able to protect you. If you speak falsehood, be it at your peril.”
“By Jing, sir,” said Jackson, “All say nothin' aginst my father-in-laa, an' A don't care who teks it well or ull. A was just tekin' a gun (* a half-tumbler of punch) with a fren' or two—an d—-me, A say, A'll stick to my father-m-laa, for he hes stuck to me.”
“You appear to be a hardened, drunken wretch,” observed the Colonel. “Will you be civil enough to show your last receipt for rent?”
“Wull A show it? A dono whether A wull or not, nor A dono whether A hey it or not; but ef aall the receipts in Europe wur burnt, d—— my blood, but A'll stick to my father-in-laa.”
“Your father-in-law may be proud of you,” said the Colonel.
“By h——, A'll back you en that,” said the fellow nodding his head, and looking round him confidently. “By h——-, A say that, too!”
“And I am sorry to be compelled to add,” continued the Colonel, “that you may be equally proud of your father-in-law.”
“A say, right agane! D—— me, bit A'll back that too!”and he nodded confidently, and looked around the room once more. “A wull, d—— my blood, bit no man can say agane it. A'm married to his daughter; an', by the sun that shines A'll still stan' up for my father-in-laa.”
“Mr. Carson,” said the Colonel, “can you disprove these facts? Can you show that you did not expel M'Evoy from his farm, and put the husband of your illegitimate daughter into it? That you did not receive his rent, decline giving him a receipt, and afterwards compel him to pay twice, because he could not produce the receipt which you withheld?”