Palmer, lazily. "It seems to me a very extraordinary thing altogether, that a woman, who sacrificed all the comforts of life to 'keeping up appearances,' should allow such a contretemps as this to take place, when all her prospects are so bright, her honours in full bloom, and no other frost likely to befal them, save the chilling one of death."
"But, my dear sir, somebody must go and save the rigging; let me do it; if the law shows its claws, let me show my teeth, and you'll see which comes off best."
"Get along then, but remember 'poor Jack's no hand at a bargain;' send or bring the land-sharks to me for the money."
Doubting the prudence of the ambassador, when the coat was adjusted and the shoes tied, Mr. Palmer followed to the scene of action, astonished to find the van driving down the street, the porters sheering off, and the commander-in-chief seeing the sideboard nicely replaced, and insisting that the removed bookcase should be adjusted to a tittle, the creditor, standing near, with the look of a delinquent, and, what Helen called the executioner, appearing with smirking looks, because praised for "doing his bidding gently."
