But we'll have it all off his next account, Mr
Vavasor,--every shilling of it, It's only lent; that's all;--it's
only lent."
"But one doesn't want to lend such a man money, if one could help
it."
"That's true. If you look at it in that light, it's quite true. But
you see we cannot do without him. If he hadn't got your bill, he'd
have gone over to the other fellows before the week was over; and the
worst of it would have been that he knows our hand. Looking at it all
round you've got him cheap, Mr Vavasor;--you have, indeed."
"Looking at it all round is just what I don't like, Mr Scruby, But if
a man will have a whistle, he must pay for it."
"You can't do it cheap for any of these metropolitan seats; you
can't, indeed, Mr Vavasor. That is, a new man can't. When you've
been in four or five times, like old Duncombe, why then, of course,
you may snap your fingers at such men as Grimes. But the Chelsea
districts ain't dear. I don't call them by any means dear. Now
Marylebone is dear,--and so is Southwark. It's dear, and nasty;
that's what the borough is. Only that I never tell tales, I could
tell you a tale, Mr Vavasor, that'd make your hair stand on end; I
could indeed."
"Ah! the game is hardly worth the candle, I believe."
"That depends on what way you choose to look at it.
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