astonishing how much a man may
get done for him," said he, "without paying anything for years."

"Yes; that's true. So he may, if he knows how to go about it. But
when he does pay, Mr Vavasor, he does it through the nose;--cent. per
cent., and worse, for all his former shortcomings."

"How many there are who never pay at all," said George.

"Yes, Mr Vavasor;--that's true, too. But see what a life they lead.
It isn't a pleasant thing to be afraid of coming into your agent's
office; not what you would like, Mr Vavasor;--not if I know you."

"I never was afraid of meeting anyone yet," said Vavasor; "but I
don't know what I may come to."

"Nor never will, I'll go bail. But, Lord love you, I could tell
you such tales! I've had Members of Parliament, past, present, and
future, almost down on their knees to me in this little room. It's
about a month or six weeks before the elections come on when they're
at their worst. There is so much you see, Mr Vavasor, for which a
gentleman must pay ready money. It isn't like a business in which a
lawyer is supposed to find the capital. If I had money enough to pay
out of my own pocket all the cost of all the metropolitan gentlemen
for whom I act, why, I could live on the interest without any
trouble, and go into Parliament myself like a man."

George Vavasor perfectly understood that Mr Scruby was explaining to
him, with what best attempt at delicacy he could make, that funds for
the expense of the Chelsea election were not to be forthcoming from
the Great Marlborough Street establishment.

"I suppose so," said he. "But you do do it sometimes."

"Never, Mr Vavasor," said Mr Scruby, very solemnly. "As a rule,
never. I may advance the money, on interest, of course, when I
receive a guarantee from the candidate's father, or from six or
seven among the committee, who must all be very substantial,--very
substantial indeed. But in a general way I don't do it. It isn't my
place."

"I thought you did;--but at any rate I don't want you to do it for
me."

"I'm quite sure you don't," said Mr Scruby, with a brighter tone of
voice than that he had just been using. "I never thought you did, Mr
Vavasor. Lord bless you, Mr Vavasor, I know the difference between
gentlemen as soon as I see them."

Then they went to business, and Vavasor became aware that it would be
thought convenient that he should lodge with Mr Scruby, to his own
account, a sum not less than six hundred pounds within the n