He looked at the amount of the bills. The apothecary was twelve
pounds; the funeral fifteen. Thaddeus turned pale. The value of all
that he possessed would not produce one half of the sum; besides, he
owed five guineas to his good landlady for numerous little comforts
procured for his deceased friend.
"Whatever be the consequence," cried he, "that excellent woman shall
not suffer by her humanity! If I have to pay with the last memorial
of those who were so dear, she shall be repaid."
He scarcely had ceased speaking, when Nanny re-entered the room, and
told him the apothecary's young man and the undertaker were both
below, waiting for answers to their letters. Reddening with disgust
at the unfeeling haste of these men, he desired Nanny to say that he
could not see either of them to-day, but would send to their houses
to-morrow.
In consequence of this promise, the men made their bows to Mrs.
Robson (who too well guessed the reason of this message), and took
their leave.
When Thaddeus put the pictures of his mother and the palatine, with
other precious articles, into his pocket, he could not forbear an
internal invective against the thoughtless meanness of the Misses
Dundas, who had never offered any further liquidation of the large
sum they now stood indebted to him than the trifling note which had
been transmitted to him, prior to his attendance, through the hands
of Lady Tinemouth.
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