ng the governor no end; _secundis_,
insuring me a jolly lark--and 'pon my word I require a little innocent
recreation to raise my spirits; and, lastly, enabling you to marry your
cousin, and thus end, as the pantomimes always do, with a grand triumph
of virtue and true love over tyranny and oppression! So now, listen to
me!"

CHAPTER LII -- LAWLESS ASTONISHES MR. COLEMAN

"'Now, all your writers do consent that _ipse_ is he; now,
are you not _ipse_, for I am he?' "'Which he, sir?' "'He,
sir, that must marry this woman. Therefore, you clown,
abandon--which is, in the vulgar, leave the society--which,
in the boorish, is company of this female--which, in the
common, is woman--which together is, abandon the society of
this female; or clown.... I will o'errun thee with policy;
therefore tremble, and depart.'"
--_As You Like, It_.

"AS far as I understand the matter," said Lawless, nodding sapiently,
"the great obstacle to your happiness is the drysalter, and the chief
object you desire to attain is his total abolition, eh?"

Coleman assenting to these premises, Lawless continued, "Supposing, by
certain crafty dodges, this desirable consummation arrived at, if you
could show your governor that you had four or five hundred pounds a year
of your own to start with, one of his main objections to your union with
this female--young woman would be knocked on the head?"

"My good fellow," returned Freddy with a slight tone of annoyance, "I'm
as fond of a joke as any man, but when I tell you that I am foolish
enough to take this matter somewhat deeply to heart--that if Lucy is
forced to marry the brute, she'll be wretched for life, and I shall not
be much otherwise--I think you'll choose some other subject for your
mirth."

"Why, Freddy, old boy, you don't suppose I'm poking fun at you, do you?
Why, I would not do such a thing at any price--no! 'pon my honour, I'm
as serious as a judge, I am indeed; but the best way will be to tell
you my plan at once, and then you'll see the logic of the thing. In
the first place, your governor says that Lucy is to ~426~~ marry the
drysalter, because he's the best offer she's ever likely to have,
doesn't he?"

"Yes, that's right enough, so far," replied Freddy.

"What's the drysalter worth? whereabouts is the figure?"

"Two thousand a year, they say," returned Freddy with a sigh.

"And I shall come into nearer five, in a month's time," r