The Merry Past 



won't sell it," after which the man would make a 

 final exit. 



The sham mariner now observing the gudgeon 

 nibbling at the bait, with eyes fixed upon the shawl, 

 would draw it from his arm, and display it upon the 

 counter in all its splendour of gaudy colours. " It 

 cost me five guineas in India, and there an't a better 

 piece of goods under the vault of heaven. Well — I 

 did not mean to part with it, but Sue is false : if 

 you choose to have the shawl at two guineas, which 

 cost me five m India, you shall, and split me if ever 

 I sell it for less. At that time I thought nothing of 

 the money, as it was for Sue. I did not intend to sell 

 it, but now I don't know what to do with it, and, 

 ma'am " — -if the shopkeeper was a lady, would say 

 the importer of Indian shawls, looking sweetly in the 

 woman's face — " you so much resemble my poor 

 mother, God rest her soul, I would wish you to have 

 it beyond anybody." By this or some similar trick 

 the gudgeon was generally hooked : two pounds two 

 was paid, and the splendid Indian shawl delivered, to 

 be safely deposited in the bettermost drawer, among 

 the Sunday and holiday attire. The shawl, of course, 

 was worth only a few shillings. 



Another trick was the lace rig. A man in seaman's 

 garb, purporting to have just come out of a French 

 prison, would exhibit some lace, which he declares 

 to have been secreted by sewing it into the lining of 

 his jacket, which has made it look yellow, though not, 

 on that account, a farthing the worse — real French 

 lace, and not to be got anywhere in England for 



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