human
Bravo! Ha, ha! 'Pon my life!--capital!--By Jove! Most uncommon good! you don't say so? --and go on, drinking glass after glass of wine, or brandy and water, and smoking cigar after cigar, till he felt fuddled and sick, in which condition he would retire to bed, and leave Gammon, clear and serene in head and temper, to his meditations. When, at length, he broached the subject of _their bill_--a frightful amount it was; of the moneys advanced by Mr. Quirk, for his support for eight or nine months on a liberal scale, and which mounted up to a sum infinitely larger than could have been supposed; and lastly, of the bond for ten thousand pounds, as the just reward to the firm for their long-continued, most anxious, and successful exertions on their client's behalf--Titmouse mustered up all his resolution, as for a last desperate struggle; swore they were robbing him; and added, with a furious snap of the fingers,
gpt
Well, sir, said Gammon, after remaining silent for some time, looking at Titmouse calmly, but with an expression of face which frightened him out of his wits,
human
Ah, but, 'pon my soul, I was humbugged into making them,
gpt
Why, you little miscreant! exclaimed Gammon, starting up in his chair, and gazing at him as if he would have scorched him with his eye,
human
Do you DARE to say so? If you have no gratitude--have you lost your _memory_? What were you when I dug you out of your filthy hole at Closet Court? Did you not repeatedly go down on your knees to us? Did you not promise, a thousand times, to do infinitely more than you are now called upon to do? And is this, you insolent--despicable little insect!--is _this_ the return you make us for putting you, a beggar--and very nearly too, an idiot
gpt
You're most uncommon polite,
human
Silence, sir! I am in no humor for trifling! interrupted Gammon, sternly.
gpt
I say, is _this_ the return you think of making us; not only to insult us, but refuse to pay money actually advanced by us to save you from starvation--money, and days and nights, and weeks and months, and _many_ months of intense anxiety, expended in discovering how to put you in possession of a splendid fortune?--Poh! you miserable little trifler!--why should I trouble myself thus? Remember--remember, Tittlebat Titmouse, continued Gammon, in a low tone, and extending towards him threateningly his thin forefinger,
human
I who made you, will in one day--one single day--unmake you--will blow you away like a bit of froth; you shall never be seen, or heard of, or thought of, except by some small draper whose unhappy shopman you may be!
gpt
Ah!--'pon my life! Dare say you think I'm uncommon frightened! Ah, ha! Monstrous--particular good!
human
You're always now going on in this way!--It's all so very likely! continued he.
gpt
Why, 'pon my soul, am not I to be A LORD one of these days? Can you help that? Can you send a lord behind a draper's counter? 'Pon my soul, what do you say to that? I like that, uncommon
human
What do I say? replied Gammon, calmly,
gpt
Tittlebat, Tittlebat! continued Gammon, dropping his voice, and speaking in a very kind and earnest manner,
human
He rose, brought his chamber-candlestick out of the hall--lit it--bade Titmouse good-night, sadly but sternly--and shook him by the hand--
gpt
I may rid you of my presence to-morrow morning, Mr. Titmouse. I shall leave you to _try to enjoy Yatton_! May you find a _truer_--a more powerful friend than you will have lost in me!
human
You--you--_won't_ stop and smoke another cigar with a poor devil, will you, Mr. Gammon? he inquired faintly.
gpt
It's somehow--most uncommon lonely in this queer, large, old-fashioned
human
No, sir,
gpt
By jingo! he at length exclaimed with a heavy sigh, after a revery of about three minutes, gulping down the remainder of his brandy and water,
human
If that same gent, Mr. Gammon, a'n't the--the--devil--he's the very best imitation of him that ever I heard tell of!