human
Your mistress at home?
gpt
Yes, Mr. Brewer.
human
Mr. George better?
gpt
No. Never will be, sir.
human
Bless me! I beg your pardon!
gpt
Granted before 'tis asked, sir.
human
Ah! yes; I have a little business to transact with your mistress. Can I see her alone? Mr. Brewer was shown by Jenifer into the little right-hand parlor. He gravely took out a huge pocket-book, and then a small parchment-covered account-book appeared. I believe he had persuaded himself that he was really going to transact business, and not to perform the neatest piece of deception that a {20} respectable gentleman ever attempted. A lady entered the room.
gpt
Madam, jour son has been my agent for mines three years--my mine _and land_ agent since Christmas. He takes the additional work at seventy-five pounds a year extra. The half of that is now due to him. I pay _that_ myself. I have brought it And thirty-seven pounds ten shillings Mr. Brewer put on the table, saying,
human
I will take your receipt, madam. Don't trouble Georges's head about business; for when you _do_ speak of that you will have, I am sorry to say, to inform him that in _both_ his places I have had to put another man. I have to give George three months' payment at the rate of one hundred and seventy pounds a year, as I gave him no quarter's warning. That is business, do you understand? asked Mr. Brewer.
gpt
It is for my son to discharge himself, sir--since he cannot --the mother's voice faltered.
human
Ah--only he didn't, and I did, said Mr. Brewer.
gpt
Your receipt? When your son recovers, let him apply to me. I am sorry to end our connexion so abruptly. But it is business. Business, you know --and there Mr. Brewer stopped, for Mary Morier was in the room, and her beauty filled it, or seemed to do so. And Mr. Brewer departed muttering, as he had muttered before often,
human
Still, he had an uncomfortable sensation, for he felt he was an underhand sneak, and that Mary had found him out; and so she had. She knew that her brother had been