City Sketches. 579 



But now, Walton, my friend, you have dealt with me for' t some 

 years, and I think we have been mutually satisfied." 



" Quite so, on my part, I assure you." 



" Well then, why couldn't you, my dear fellow, make up your 

 mind to confine your business to me ? I shall be happy to receive 

 your orders, with proper security for the first three years, and after 

 that time, you know, we could enter into another arrangement." 



" My dear Sir, it is quite impossible," cried Walton, " it would 

 be my ruin. You cannot supply many of the goods I require." 



" But I could get them," insinuated Grasp. 



" Not to answer my purpose," said Walton. " My dear Mr. G rasp, 

 only reflect! Deal with nobody but yourself! Don't you see it 

 would be quite out of the question ? " 



" Out of the question ? " said Grasp. " do you say so, Mr. 

 Walton?" 



" I do, Sir, it is quite impossible." 



" Impossible?" 



" Impossible." 



" Then d me, Mr. Walton, if I ever agree to your composition," 

 exclaimed Grasp in a rage, "and so good-bye to you. I thought 

 I knew you better." 



" You cannot, surely, expect me to sacrifice myself for you," said 

 Walton, detaining him by the arm. 



" Let me go, I'll not hear another word," and Grasp broke away 

 from him. " Ungrateful wretch ! but this comes of being a friend,'" 

 and so saying, he rushed into the warehouse; but finding that 

 nobody rushed after him, he stopped suddenly. 



" Have you any thing further to say to me, Mr. Walton? " he said, 

 more calmly, returning to the counting-house. 



" Nothing whatever." 



" Oh ! I thought you had ; it's of no consequence ;" and Mr. Grasp 

 made his way into the street, in a state of mind only to be conceived 

 by those who have experienced so ungracious a reception of their 

 good offices. 



Walton felt a stupefaction, a kind of stultification of the faculties 

 creeping gradually over him, shortly after Grasp had made his exit. 

 It was clear that his two friends would never accept his composition, 

 and he must be made a bankrupt. What was he to do ? What was 

 to become of him ? Which way was he to turn ? A knock at the 

 counting-house soon partially resolved this last question. He did turn 

 in that direction. It was Shark ! 



Mr. Shark marched into the counting-house with all that dignity 

 for which, or let me say, at which he was so remarkable. He in- 

 clined his head with solemn condescension towards the insolvent, in- 

 tending thereby to convey an assurance to the unhappy man that he 

 might take a seat in his own counting-house. 



" This is an awkward business, Mr. Walton," he began, " a very 

 awkward business: I think I have just reason to complain of you. 

 Why did you not give me a hint as to the state of your affairs some 

 time since ? I might then have been induced " 



" To strike a docket against me," thought Walton. 



2 P2 



