dential,' sir; but comes from
Walter Carew, Esq."

"Then why not give it to me at once? Why keep pottering about every
trifle of no moment, sir?" said Fagan, as he broke the seal, and drew
near to the window to read. It was very brief, and ran thus:--

Dear Fagan,--Shylock could n't hold a candle to you; such
an infernal mess of interest, compound interest, costs, and
commission as you have sent me I never beheld! However, for
the present I must endure all your exactions, even to the
tune of fifty per cent. Let me have cash for the enclosed
three bills, for one thousand each, drawn at the old dates,
and, of course, to be 'done' at the old discount.

I have just taken a wife, and am in want of ready money to
buy some of the customary tomfooleries of the occasion.
Regards to Polly and her fat terrier.

Yours, in haste,

Walter Carew.

"Read that," said Fagan, handing the letter to his clerk, while the
veins in his forehead swelled out with passion, and his utterance grew
hoarse and thick.

Raper carefully perused the note, and then proceeded to examine the
bills, when Fagan snatched them rudely from his hand.

"It was his letter I bade you read,--the gross insolence of his manner
of addressing me. Where's his account, Raper? How does he stand with
us?"

"That's a long affair to make out," said Joe, untying a thick roll of
papers.

"I don't want details. Can you never understand that? Tell me in three
words how he stands."

"Deeply indebted,--very deeply indebted, sir," said Joe, poring over the
papers.

"Tell Crowther to come over this evening at six o'clock, and write to
Carew by this post, thus:--

"'Mr. Fagan regrets that in the precarious condition of the money
market he is obliged to return you the bills, herewith enclosed, without
acceptance. Mr. F., having some large and pressing claims to meet,
desires to call your attention to the accompanying memorandum, and
to ask at what early period it will be your convenience to make an
arrangement for its settlement.'

"Make out an account and furnish it, Raper; we'll see how he relishes
Shylock when he comes to read that."

Joseph sat with the pen in his hand, as if deep in thought.

"Do you hear me, Raper?" asked Fagan, in a harsh voice.

"I do," said the other, and proceeded to write.

"There's a judgment entered upon Carew's bond of February, isn't there?"

"There is! Crowther has it in his office."

"That's right. We