The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-03-08
ga hundredr' at last exclaimed the lat

table.
"And fifty cried the Hunchback, ex
citedly. "IIere goesh! Damned if give
in now!'
1t seemed to have become a point O.
honor, for whose sake men are content tc
ruin themselves for a mere caprice.
"Three hundred!" said Mr.. erode, with
the perspiration streaming from his fore
head.
"Three- fifty said the other.
1t was not shilllngs they were Offering
it was pounds.
81 say, Levi said one of the brokers,
apparently of his own persuasion, "what
is it ~
"Ah," said the latter, "help me-foul
fifty-Moses-five fifty-Grode onshe-six.
fifty-did me like this eight-before-
thoushand-he bought " lve-w hi
looked like-fourteen-jush such rubbish
-sikshteen-ash thish-and it-eighteen-
turned out-twenty fve-ash there wash
three thoushand!-un such a
Rubensh.- Five.-lo O. ely!-he cleared
sheven!-ten thoushand by it-eight-he
knowsh all about these thingsh-eleven-
and he wouldn't-twelve-go ahead like
thish if he didn't know ash there wash
shomething behind-fourteen.-S here
! goesh, shiilshteen-s Ii e e n e EN- can
shtand it.'
Course you!' muttered erode to him
! self. ''Twenty thousandr'
| "Guineash.' cried the Hunchback.
"Twenty- five!'
There is no need to proceed. A glor-
ious Titan, now the pride of one of the
great galleries in Europe, was sold at that
sale for eight thousand pounds: Dead
Magpie,' by Jones, went to the Hunch-
back for eighty thousand.
CHAPTER Iv-sIC VITA EST.
Mr.. erode threw glance of angry ha-
tired at his successful rival, and then came
up to him blaudly.
81 wish you joy of your bargain" he
said, half politely, half sneerinsly. Do
you know that you'll have to pay for this
rubbish. I don't suppose that Mr.. Gran
stoun will consider it quite so much joke
as you and -
81 can afford it, Mishter," answered
Levi, slapping his trouser-pocket.
81 want that picture" said Mr.. erode,
bluntly and candidly. "Old associations,
and all that sort of thing, you know-never
mind that. One must be sentimental and
soft hearted sometimes, you know, hang it
all! Tell you what, I'll give you eighty
five Thousand to be Oft your bargain
there's chance for you. Eighty thousand
all at once, and five thousand in six months.
It'll all be clear profit on daub not worth
twopence farthing. You'll be rich man,
Levi; and you'll have the pleasure of tax
ing me in besides. Eighty-five thousand
"Guineash!'
"Guineas.'
"Til just take peep at him firsht. May
be he ish more than he looksh," replied
the Jew, passing his hand over the crack
ed surface of the picture meaningly and
tenderly.
erode fidgeted and perspired. No."
he said, "now on the nail. l mayn't be
sentimental in five minutes. I'm an ass,
as it is, to want to spend eighty-five thous-
and guiueas for old associations sake
Come, Levi, it is done?'
"No, Mishter, you're not an assn
neither am - he answered. $50 I'll
jusht take a look at him.
"And lose eighty-fve thousand guineas?
On my soul, can't offer penny more
Perhaps by tonight 1 shall have come
down to eighty-five pence-and if sleep
on it.
"Never you mind, Mishter. If you
vanish him, you will want him tomorrow
ash well. Sho / will shleep upon him
too
" You're "a" No matter how Mr..
erode finished the sentence. With anoth-
er angry glare round him he left the room
and the house.
"Mishter erode ish very sentimental
man-very: and sho am l, said Levi to
one of his fellow dealers, with tremend-
GUS wink of his green eye, as he took his
prize under his arm.
His defeated rival for the charms of the
dead magpie was certainly in violent
rage. His fresh complexion had deepened
to an apoplectic red, his veins were swol
len, his scowl was as black as midnight,
and he strobe rapidly along, with his fists
closed almost desperately.
At last his seven-leagued boots carried
him on his way home as far as Russell
Square. He walked on the garden-side of
the road; and, suddenly happening to raise
his eyes as he passed the ratings, saw
within them sight that increased fold
his symptoms of anger, except thatit caus-
ed him to stand as still as if he had been
struck to stone. And yet the sight that he
saw was charming enough in its way. 1t
was nothing less than that of a pair of
lovers engaged in the closest and most affec-
tionate conversation, so much wrapped up
in themselves and in each other as to be
almost needless of the almost public char
acter of the place in which they were.
With an oath, he hurried onward to the
gate, but found it locked, so that he was
obliged to 60 home for his own key, before
he could turn the duet into trio. He
Numbered at his own door as if he were
visitors footman, and having strobe in,
searched violently for the key in every
drawer and cupboard in every room in the
house, littering every floor with the contents
of them; but it was not to be found. So at
last he rang the bell, like man in thun-
der passion as he was. and shouted out to
the maid-servant who had answered him
before, % Where's the key of the Square?r
"Please, sir, Miss Felicia has taken it,
He stamped and swore till he almos.
made her gay ribbons uncurl themselves
and stand on end. But there was nothing
to be done Immediately, except to pace up
and down like hyena in fume: task he
set himself to accordingly.
Meanwhile this had been the history of
Miss Felicia.
IT. NAV he rememhered that ber fatbor