City Sketches. 575 



"What!" he repeated, "seven-and-sixpence in the pound !" and 

 he looked round upon the meeting " do you hear that, gentlemen ? 

 do you hear that? seventeen and sixpence would be more likely, 

 and bad enough then : seven and sixpence ! ugh ! won't do, Mr. Wal- 

 ton, won't do." 



" If the creditors," cried Walton, with a half-warm earnestness, 

 " will be so good as to look over the balance sheet, I am sure they 

 will see that I cannot offer more." 



Mr. Shark threw the paper from him with a look of supreme con- 

 tempt. 



Mr. Eager and Mr. Grasp were the first to explore the balance 

 sheet. The former resigned it with an air of disappointed disgust, 

 the latter thrust it away with a face of disgusted disappointment.^ 

 " I perfectly agree with Mr. Shark," said Grasp. 

 " And so do I/' cried Eager. 



And now the creditors by turns surveyed the document. 

 " It seems all fair," said one, appealing to his neighbour. 

 " Quite so." 



" Poor Walton seems to have got into queer hands/' whispered 

 a third. 



" Let them take care they don't get into the same hobble them- 

 selves," replied a fourth. 



" Well, gentlemen, and what do you think of this precious business?" 

 enquired Shark, when the gentlemen had completed their examina- 

 tion. 



" Why, Sir," said the one who appeared to be more immediately 

 addressed, *' with great deference to you (for Shark was reputed 

 warm), with great deference to you, we think we cannot do better 

 than accept the composition Mr. Walton offers. It appears to us a 

 perfectly straightforward and fair thing on his part. We think so," 



Walton's eyes glistened as this first indication of human feeling met 

 his ear. 



"Oh! you think so, do you?" said Shark, with a sneer. "We 

 shall soon see that. Be so kind as to hand that balance sheet to me 

 once more.'* 



" Here," he continued, suddenly lighting upon the item on which 

 his forefinger had previously rested, " here, Mr. Walton, be so good 

 as to explain this. I perceive you have set down Mr. Blunt as your 

 creditor for 500. Mr. Blunt is your father-in-law, I believe ?" 

 " He is, Sir/' said Walton, and he lent me ' ? 

 " Do you see, gentlemen do you see ?" interrupted Shark. 

 "And he lent you this money, did he *?" 

 "He did, on my marriage." 



" Lent it on your marriage? ha! ha I very good," said Shark. 

 " I don't believe it," cried Grasp. 

 " Quite improbable,'' said Eager. 



" Gentlemen," exclaimed Walton with warmth, appealing to the 

 three, " you know this to be true. You, in particular, Mr. Shark, 

 have the best means of knowing this. You are acquainted with Mr. 

 Blunt. He has told you so frequently, you know it, Sir/' 

 '* I know nothing/' said Shark stiffly. 



