uld
I bother my self about you? Did I, your poor mother, or your family,
ever get from you a single affectionate feeling? Did we, or any other of
your friends or intimates, ever know you to be guilty of a single honest
or generous action? Did we ever pretend any love for you, or you for us?
Algernon Deuceace, you don't want a father to tell you that you are
a swindler and a spendthrift! I have paid thousands for the debts of
yourself and your brothers; and, if you pay nobody else, I am determined
you shall repay me. You would not do it by fair means, when I wrote
to you and asked you for a loan of money. I knew you would not. Had
I written again to warn you of my coming, you would have given me the
slip; and so I came, uninvited, to FORCE you to repay me. THAT'S why I
am here, Mr. Algernon; and so help yourself and pass the bottle."

After this speach, the old genlmn sunk down on the sofa, and puffed
as much smoke out of his mouth as if he'd been the chimley of a
steam-injian. I was pleased, I confess, with the sean, and liked to see
this venrabble and virtuous old man a-nocking his son about the hed;
just as Deuceace had done with Mr. Richard Blewitt, as I've before
shown. Master's face was, fust, red-hot; next, chawk-white: and then
sky-blew. He looked, for all the world, like Mr. Tippy Cooke in the
tragady of Frankinstang. At last, he mannidged to speek.

"My lord," says he, "I expected when I saw you that some such scheme was
on foot. Swindler and spendthrift as I am, at least it is but a family
failing; and I am indebted for my virtues to my father's precious
example. Your lordship has, I perceive, added drunkenness to the list
of your accomplishments, and, I suppose, under the influence of that
gentlemanly excitement, has come to make these preposterous propositions
to me. When you are sober, you will, perhaps, be wise enough to know,
that, fool as I may be, I am not such a fool as you think me; and that
if I have got money, I intend to keep it--every farthing of it, though
you were to be ten times as drunk, and ten times as threatening as you
are now."

"Well, well, my boy," said Lord Crabs, who seemed to have been half
asleep during his son's oratium, and received all his sneers and
surcasms with the most complete good-humor; "well, well, if you will
resist, tant pis pour toi. I've no desire to ruin you, recollect, and
am not in the slightest degree angry but I must and will have a thousand
pounds. You had be