The two
merchants took brief leave, as if under consciousness that something
was wrong. Mistress Margaret, her body-guard of 'prentices being in
readiness, plucked her father by the sleeve, and, rescuing him from a
brown study, (whether referring to the wheels of Time, or to that of
Fortune, is uncertain,) wished good-night to her friend Mrs. Judith,
and received her godfather's blessing, who, at the same time, put upon
her slender finger a ring of much taste and some value; for he seldom
suffered her to leave him without some token of his affection. Thus
honourably dismissed, and accompanied by her escort, she set forth on
her return to Fleet Street.
Sir Mungo had bid adieu to Master Heriot as he came out from the back
compting-room, but such was the interest which he took in the affairs
of his friend, that, when Master George went upstairs, he could not
help walking into that sanctum sanctorum, to see how Master Roberts
was employed. The knight found the cash-keeper busy in making extracts
from those huge brass-clasped leathern-bound manuscript folios, which
are the pride and trust of dealers, and the dread of customers whose
year of grace is out. The good knight leant his elbows on the desk,
and said to the functionary in a condoling tone of voice,--"What! you
have lost a good customer, I fear, Master Roberts, and are busied in
making out his bill of charges?"
Now, it chanced that Roberts, like Sir Mungo himself, was a little
deaf, and, like Sir Mungo, knew also how to make the most of it; so
that he answered at cross purposes,--"I humbly crave your pardon, Sir
Mungo, for not having sent in your bill of charge sooner, but my
master bade me not disturb you.
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