,--not as long as the
pokers and tongs are about." And then there was silence between them
for awhile.

"Maryanne," he began again, "can't you find out about this Johnson?"

"No; I can't," said she.

"You'd better."

"Then I won't," said she.

"I'll tell you what it is, then, Maryanne. I don't see my way the
least in life about this money."

"Drat your way! Who cares about your way?"

"That's all very fine, Maryanne; but I care. I'm a man as is as good
as my word, and always was. I defy Brown, Jones, and Robinson to say
that I'm off, carrying anybody's paper. And as for paper, it's a
thing as I knows nothing about, and never wish. When a man comes to
paper, it seems to me there's a very thin wall betwixt him and the
gutter. When I buys a score of sheep or so, I pays for them down; and
when I sells a leg of mutton, I expects no less myself. I don't owe
a shilling to no one, and don't mean; and the less that any one owes
me, the better I like it. But Maryanne, when a man trades in that
way, a man must see his way. If he goes about in the dark, or with
his eyes shut, he's safe to get a fall. Now about this five hundred
pound; if I could only see my way--."

As to the good sense of Mr. Brisket's remarks, there was no
difference of opinion between him and his intended wife. Miss
Brown would at that time have been quite contented to enter into
partnership for life on those terms. And though these memoirs are
written with the express view of advocating a theory of trade founded
on quite a different basis, nevertheless, it may be admitted that Mr.
Brisket's view of commerce has its charms, presuming that a man has
the wherewithal. But such a view is apt to lose its charms in female
eyes if it be insisted on too often, or too violently. Maryanne had
long since given in her adhesion to Mr. Brisket's theory; but now,
weary with repetition of the lesson, she was disposed to rebel.

"Now, William Brisket," she said, "just listen to me. If you talk to
me again about seeing your way, you may go and see it by yourself.
I'm not so badly off that I'm going to have myself twitted at in that
way. If you don't like me, you can do the other thing. And this I
will say, when a gentleman has spoken his mind free to a lady, and a
lady has given her answer free back to him, it's a very mean thing
for a gentleman to be saying so much about money after that. Of
course, a girl has got herself to look to; and if I take up with you,
why,