Among a very motley crowd, Richard Arden slowly sauntering through the room found Mr. Levi, whose appearance he already knew, having once or twice had occasion to consult him financially. His play was over for the night. The slim little Jew, with black curly head, large fierce black eyes, and sullen mouth, stood with his hands in his pockets, gaping luridly over the table where he had just, he observed to his friend Isaac Blumer, who did not care if he was hanged, "losht sheven pound sheventeen, ash I'm a shinner!"
Mr. Levi saw Richard Arden approaching, and smiled on him with his wide show of white fangs. Richard Arden approached Mr. Levi with a grave and haughty face. Here, to be sure, was nothing but what Horace Walpole used to call "the mob." Not a human being whom he knew was in the room; still he would have preferred seeing Mr. Levi at his office; and the audacity of his presuming to grin in that familiar fashion! He would have liked to fling one of the billiard-balls in his teeth. In a freezing tone, and with his head high, he said,--
"The shame," responded Levi, still smiling; "and 'ow ish Mr. Harden thish evening?"
"I had a note from you," said Arden, passing by Mr. Levi's polite inquiry, "and I should like to know if any of that money you spoke of may be made available to-night."
"Every shtiver," replied the Jew cheerfully.
"I can have it all? Well, this is rather a noisy place," hesitated Richard Arden, looking around him.
"I can get into Mishter Dignum's book-offish here, Mr. Harden, and it won't take a moment. I haven't notes, but I'll give you our cheques, and there'sh no place in town they won't go down as slick as gold. I'll fetch you to where there's pen and ink."
In a very small room, where burned a single jet of gas, Mr. Arden signed a promissory note for, £1,012 10s., for which Mr. Levi handed him cheques of his firm for £1,000.
Having exchanged these securities, Richard Arden said--
"I wish to put one or two questions to you, Mr. Levi." He glanced at a clerk who was making "tots" from a huge folio before him, on a slip of paper, and transferring them to a small book, with great industry.
Levi understood him and beckoned in silence, and when they both stood in the passage he said--