ill not agree to those terms," replied I; "you must take your money
away, Mr Emmanuel."
"Vell, den--vat vill you pay me?"
"I will sign an agreement to pay you 1500 pounds for the thousand, if
you please; if that will not suit you, I will try elsewhere."
"Dat is very bad bargain. How old, you shay?"
"Twenty."
"Vell, I shuppose I must oblige you, and my very goot friend, de major."
Mr Emmanuel drew out his spectacles, pen, and inkhorn, filled up a
bond, and handed it to me to sign. I read it carefully over, and signed
it; he then paid down the money, and took his leave.
It may appear strange to the reader that the money was obtained so
easily, but he must remember that the major was considered a person who
universally attached himself to young men of large fortune; he had
already been the means of throwing many profitable speculations into the
hands of Emmanuel, and the latter put implicit confidence in him. The
money-lenders also are always on the look out for young men with large
fortunes, and have their names registered. Emmanuel had long expected
me to come to him; and although it was his intention to have examined
more particularly, and not to have had the money prepared, yet my
refusal to sign the bond, bearing interest, and my disputing the terms
of the second proposal, blinded him completely, and put him off his
usual guard.
"Upon my word, Newland, you obtained better terms than I could have
expected from the old Hunks."
"Much better than I expected also, major," replied I; "but now, how much
of the money would you like to have?"
"My dear fellow, this is very handsome of you; but, I thank Heaven, I
shall be soon able to repay it; but what pleases me, Newland, is your
perfect confidence in one, whom the rest of the world would not trust
with a shilling. I will accept your offer as freely as it is made, and
take 500 pounds, just to make a show for the few weeks that I am in
suspense, and then you will find, that, with all my faults, I am not
deficient in gratitude." I divided the money with the major, and he
shortly afterwards went out.
"Well, sir," said Timothy, entering, full of curiosity, "what have you
done?"
"I have borrowed a thousand to pay fifteen hundred when I come into my
property."
"You are safe then. Excellent, and the Jew will be bit."
"No, Timothy, I intend to repay it as soon as I can."
"I should like to know when that will be."
"So should I, Tim, for it mu
|