"
"Pshaw! who minds the honor of a pawnbroker!" cried the lady,
laughing; "you know very well you live by cheating."
"Well, ma'am," returned he, with a good-natured smile, "as your
ladyship pleases."
"Then I please that you let me have another hundred. Why, man, you
know you let Mrs. Hinchinbroke two thousand upon a case of diamonds
not a quarter so many as mine."
"But consider, madam; Mrs. Hinchinbroke's were of the best water."
"Positively, Mr. Burnet," exclaimed her ladyship, purposely
miscalling his name, "not better than mine! The King of Sardinia gave
them to Sir Charles when he knighted him. I know mine are the best,
and I must have another hundred. Upon my life, my servants have not
had a guinea of board wages these four months, and they tell me they
are starving. Come, make haste, Mr. Burnet you cannot expect me to
stay here all night; give me the money."
"Indeed, my lady, I cannot."
"Heavens! what a brute of a man you are! There," cried she, taking a
string of pearls from her neck, and throwing it on the table; "lend
me some of your trumpery out of your shop, for I am going immediately
from hence to take the Misses Dundas to the opera; so give me the
hundred on that, and let me go."
"This is not worth a hundred."
"What a teasing man you are!" cried her ladyship, angrily. "Well, let
me have the money now, and I will send you the bracelets which belong
to the necklace to-morrow.
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