He was beginning to enter a hypothetical caveat on
this subject, and to quote several reasons why no part of the money
once consigned as room-rent, could be repaid back on any pretence,
without great hardship to the landlord, when Nigel, growing impatient,
told him that the money was his absolutely, and without any intention
on his part of resuming any of it--all he asked in return was the
liberty of enjoying in private the apartment he had paid for. Old
Trapbois, who had still at his tongue's end much of the smooth
language, by which, in his time, he had hastened the ruin of many a
young spendthrift, began to launch out upon the noble and generous
disposition of his new guest, until Nigel, growing impatient, took the
old gentleman by the hand, and gently, yet irresistibly, leading him
to the door of the chamber, put him out, but with such decent and
moderate exertion of his superior strength, as to render the action in
no shape indecorous, and, fastening the door, began to do that for his
pistols which he had done for his favourite sword, examining with care
the flints and locks, and reviewing the state of his small provision
of ammunition.
In this operation he was a second time interrupted by a knocking at
the door--he called upon the person to enter, having no doubt that it
was Lowestoffe's messenger at length arrived. It was, however, the
ungracious daughter of old Trapbois, who, muttering something about
her father's mistake, laid down upon the table one of the pieces of
gold which Nigel had just given to him, saying, that what she retained
was the full rent for the term he had specified.
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