He isn't a beauty at his best, but at his worst he's
really phenomenal. At the first danger signal his wife
had ordered the maid from the room.
"What rot you do talk, Munro!" he cried. "Do you
suppose I am going to cripple myself for years by letting
those debts hang on to me?"
"I understood that you had promised," said I.
"Still, of course, it is no business of mine."
"I should hope not," he cried. "A tradesman stands
to win or to lose. He allows a margin for bad debts. I
would have paid it if I could. I couldn't, and so I
wiped the slate clean. No one in his senses would dream
of spending all the money that I make in Bradfield
upon the tradesmen of Avonmouth."
"Suppose they come down upon you?"
"Well, we'll see about that when they do. Meanwhile
I am paying ready money for every mortal thing that comes
up the door steps. They think so well of me here that I
could have had the whole place furnished like a palace
from the drain pipes to the flagstaff, only I determined
to take each room in turn when I was ready for it.
There's nearly four hundred pounds under this one
ceiling."
There came a tap at the door, and in walked a boy in
buttons.
"If you please, sir, Mr. Duncan wishes to see you."
"Give my compliments to Mr. Duncan, and tell him he
may go to the devil!"
"My dear Jimmy!" cried Mrs. Cullingworth.
"Tell him I am at dinner; and if all the kings in
Europe were waiting in the hall with their crowns in
their hands I wouldn't cross that door mat to see them.
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