City Sketches. 577 



14 I could have wished to bestow upon them a good education, 

 certainly," said Walton mournfully. 



" Oh yes, make physicians of them, no doubt," pursued Eager, 

 44 or bring them up to the pulpit or the bar." 



" The bench I should rather say, " interrupted Grasp," if they are 

 to follow their father's steps." 



" Well, gentlemen, upon what are we agreed ? " cried Shark sud- 

 denly, " if you are of iny opinion, I should say we have great reason 

 to be dissatisfied with Mr. Walton's balance sheet. Suppose we 

 adjourn this meeting for the present, and shall we say to-morrow at 

 this time ? and then, perhaps, we may be able to decide one way or 

 the other." 



The motion was carried without a dissentient voice. 



" You may go, Sir," resumed Shark, turning to Walton with a 

 peremptory air, " and, mark you, be punctual to the moment. 

 Twelve o'clock is our time." 



Walton having made his bow, and followed by his porter with the 

 books and balance-sheet, departed to his own house in a state of utter 

 confusion, surprise, mortification, and despair. For the first time in 

 his life he experienced the base, the dirty, the safe insults which 

 gentlemen in the commercial world almost invariably cast upon those 

 who are not in a situation to pay them " their due ; " or, in other 

 words, he was made to feel how effectually a man contrives to get 

 out of people's books by getting into them. He was, most of all, 

 astonished at the conduct of Eager, Grasp, and Shark. That they, 

 of all others, should have treated him thus, was monstrous, was in- 

 credible ! 



He had been sitting in his counting-house during a space of three 

 hours his mind devoured by the corroding thoughts which the 

 scene of the morning had engendered, when the opening of the door 

 recalled him to himself. It was Mr. Eager. He had been thinking 

 of him the moment before, and to think of the devil is more potential 

 than talking of him. 



44 Pray keep your seat, Mr. Walton," said Eager with an assuaged 

 aspect, and lie himself took a chair, " I am come to talk over your 

 affairs with you in a friendly way." 



44 Indeed ! " said Walton, in surprise. 



' 4 Yes, indeed ; I have been thinking over your affairs since the 

 meeting this morning, and it strikes me that something may yet be 

 done." 



44 1 hope so," said Walton. 



" Yes, yes," pursued Eager, musing, c< something may yet be 

 done. For instance, I will sign your composition/* 



" My dear Eager '* 



'* Upon one condition though," said Eager. 



" Condition !" stammered Walton, " I am in no condition to make 

 conditions." 



" My dear Sir, you are. Walton," he continued, in a softly "pleasing 

 tone, "I have a friendship for you." 



" I thought you had, until this morning," said Walton. 



*' It is as strong as ever/' cried Eager and here he probably spoke 



JUNE, 1837. 2 P 



