and Lancashire was doubtful about metallic tables, and it was thought that Mr. Kantwise was too eloquent in their praise.
Mr, Moulder when he had entered the room, stood still, to enable the waiter to peel off from him his greatcoat and the large shawl with which his neck was enveloped, and Mr. Kantwise performed the same operation for himself, carefully folding up the articles of clothing as he took them off. Then Mr. Moulder fixed his eyes on Mr. Dockwrath, and stared at him very hard, 'Who's the party, James?' he said to the waiter, speaking in a whisper that was plainly heard by the attorney.
'Gen'elman by the 8-22 down,' said James.
'Commercial?' asked Mr, Moulder, with angry frown.
'He says so himself, anyways,' said the waiter.
'Gammon!' replied Mr, Moulder, who knew all the bearings of a commercial man thoroughly, and could have put one together if he were only supplied with a little bit—say the mouth, as Professor Owen always does with the Dodoes. Mr. Moulder now began to be angry, for he was a stickler for the rights and privileges of his class, and had an idea that the world was not so conservative in that respect as it should be. Mr. Dockwrath, however, was not to be frightened, so he drew his chair a thought nearer to the fire, took a sup of brandy and water, and prepared himself for war if war should be necessary.
'Cold evening, sir, for the time of year,' said Mr, Moulder, walking up to the fireplace, and rolling the lumps of his forehead about in his attempt at a frown, In spite of his terrible burden of flesh, Mr. Moulder could look angry on occasions, but he could only do so when he was angry. He was not gifted with a command of his facial muscles.
'Yes,' said Mr, Dockwrath, not taking his eyes from off the Leeds and Halifax Chronicle. 'It is coldish. Waiter, bring me a cigar.'
This was very provoking, as must be confessed. Mr. Moulder had not been prepared to take any step towards turning the gentleman out, though doubtless he might have done so had he chosen to exercise his prerogative. But he did expect that the gentleman would have acknowledged the weakness of his footing, by moving himself a little towards one side of the fire, and he did not expect, that he would have presumed to smoke without asking whether the practice was held to be objectionable by the legal possessors of the room. Mr. Dockwrath was free of any such pusillanimity. 'Waiter,' he said again, 'bring me a cigar, d'ye hear?'
The great heart of Moulder could not stand this unmoved. He had been an accustomed visitor to that room for fifteen years, and had always done his best to preserve the commercial code unsullied. He was now so well known, that no one else ever presumed to take
