"Yes," said the old man, with a sharp menacing nod. "Which of you two comes down, as you say, with the dust? Who pays the piper for this dance of yours, gentlemen?--the Christian or the Jew? I've a word for the gentleman who holds the purse--or, as we Christians would say, who carries the bag;" and he glanced from one to the other with a sniff, and another rather vicious wag of his head.
"I believe, sir, you may address us both as _voluntary_ contributors towards a fund for carrying on, for the _present_, this business of the Honourable Kiffyn Fulke Verney, who will, of course, recoup us," said Mr. Larkin, cautiously.
He used to say sometimes to his conducting man, with a smile, sly and holy, up at the yellow letters of one of the tin deed-boxes on his shelves at the Lodge, after an adroit conversation, "I think it will puzzle him, rather, to make an _assumpsit_ out of _that_."
"Well, you talk of _allowing_ me--as you term it--four pounds a week. I'll not take it," said Mr. Dingwell.
"My hye! That'sh liberal, shir, uncommon 'anshome, be Ga-a-ad!" exclaimed Mr. Levi, in a blessed mistake as to the nature of Mr. Dingwell's objection.
"I know, gentlemen, this business can't advance without me--to me it may be worth something; but you'll make it worth a great deal more to yourselves, and whatever else you may find me, you'll find me no fool; and I'll not take one piastre less than five-and-twenty pounds a week."
"Five-and-twenty pounsh!" howled Mr. Levi; and Mr. Larkin's small pink eyes opened wide at the prodigious idea.
"You gentlemen fancy you're to keep me here in this black-hole making _your_ fortunes, and living on the wages of a clerk, egad! You shall do no such thing, I promise you; you shall pay me what I say. I'll see the town, sir, and I'll have a few guineas in my pocket, or I'll know the reason why. I didn't come ALL the way here for nothing--d--n you both!"
"Pray, sir, a moment," pleaded Mr. Larkin.
"_Pray_, sir, as much as you like; but _pay_, also, if you please. Upon my life, you _shall_! Fortune owes me something, and egad! I'll enjoy myself while I can."
"Of course, sir; quite reasonable--so you should; but, my dear Mr. Dingwell, five-and-twenty pounds!--we can hardly be expected, my dear sir, to see our way."