As they were going away, Oliver earnestly repeated his request, that Mr. Russell would come again in the evening, that he might have an opportunity of giving the poor woman his half-guinea. Mr. Russell promised him that he would; but he at the same time added, "All charity, my dear Oliver, does not consist in giving money: it is easy for a man to put his hand in his pocket, and take out a few shillings, to give any person in distress."
"I wish," said Oliver, "I was able to do more! what can I do? I'll think of something. Howard, will you think of something that I can do? But I must see about my Latin lesson first, for I had not time to look it over this morning, before I came out."
When they got back, the business of the day, for some hours, suspended all thoughts of the mulatto woman; but, in the first interval of leisure, Oliver went in search of Mr. Holloway, to ask for his half-guinea. Holloway had a crowd of his companions round him, whom he seemed to be entertaining with some very diverting story, for they were laughing violently when little Oliver first came up to them; but they no sooner perceived him than all their merriment suddenly ceased. Holloway first lowered his voice into a whisper, and then observing that Oliver still stood his ground, he asked him, in his usual peremptory tone, what might be his business? Oliver drew him aside, and asked him to pay him _the_ half-guinea. "_The_ half-guinea?" repeated Holloway: "man, you talk of _the_ half-guinea as if there was but one half-guinea in the world: you shall have _the_ half-guinea, for I hate to be dunned--Stay, I believe I have no _half_-a-guinea about me: you can't give me two half-guineas for a guinea, can ye?"
"Well, then, you must wait till I can get change."
"Must I wait? but I really want it for a particular reason, this evening: I wish you could give it me now--you know you promised; but I don't like putting people in mind of their promises, and I would not ask you about the money, only that I really want it."
"Want it!--nonsense: what can you want money for, such a little chap as you? I'll lay you any wager, your _particular_ reason, if the truth was told, is, that you can't resist the tart-woman."