cashiered as
unnecessary. First comes the torture and then the execution. "Come,
Wilkins, you have the pen of a ready writer; prepare for us this
document." In such words is the victim addressed by his colleagues.
Unhappy Wilkins! he little dreams of the misery before him, as he
proudly applies himself to his work.

But it is beautiful to hear and see, when two scribes have been
appointed, how at first they praise each other's words, as did
Trissotin and Vadius; how gradually each objects to this comma
or to that epithet; how from moment to moment their courage will
arise,--till at last every word that the other has written is foul
nonsense and flat blasphemy;--till Vadius at last will defy his
friend in prose and verse, in Greek and Latin.

Robinson on this occasion had no rival, but not the less were his
torments very great. "Argentine brightness!" said Mr. Giles. "What's
'argentine?' I don't like 'argentine.' You'd better put that out, Mr.
Robinson."

"It's the most effective word in the whole notice," said Robinson,
and then he passed on.

"Tons weight of towelling!" said Mr. Sloman. "That's coming it a
little too strong, Mr. Robinson."

This was the end of the catalogue. "Gentlemen," said Robinson, rising
from his chair, "what little I have been able to do for you in this
matter I have done willingly. There is the notice of your sale, drawn
out in such language as seems suitable to me. If it answers your
purpose, I pray that you will use it. If you can frame one that will
do so better, I beg that no regard for my feelings may stand in your
way. My only request to you is this,--that if my words be used, they
may not be changed or garbled." Then, bowing to them all, he left the
room.

They knew the genius of the man, and the notice afterwards appeared
exactly in the form in which Robinson had framed it.

CHAPTER XXIII.

FAREWELL.

For the four appointed days the sale was continued, and it was
wondrous to see with what animation the things went off. It seemed as
though ladies were desirous of having a souvenir from Magenta House,
and that goods could be sold at a higher price under the name of a
sacrifice than they would fetch in the ordinary way of trade. "If
only we could have done as well," Robinson said to his partner Jones,
wishing that, if possible, there might be good humour between them in
these last days.

"We did do quite as well, and better," said Jones, "only the money
was thrown a