, you know,
Mr. Newton;--that won't do at all!" Mr. Moggs, as he looked into his
customer's face, worked himself up into a passion. "But I suppose you
have come to settle it now, Mr. Newton?"

"Not exactly at this moment, Mr. Moggs."

"It must be settled very soon, Mr. Newton;--it must indeed. My son
can't be calling on you day after day, and all for nothing. We can't
stand that you know, Mr. Newton. Perhaps you'll oblige me by saying
when it will be settled." Then Ralph explained that he had called
for that purpose, that he was making arrangements for paying all his
creditors, and that he hoped that Mr. Moggs would have his money
within three months at the farthest. Mr. Moggs then proposed that he
should have his customer's bill at three months, and the interview
ended by the due manufacture of a document to that effect. Ralph,
when he entered the shop, had not intended to give a bill; but the
pressure had been too great upon him, and he had yielded. It would
matter little, however, if he married Polly Neefit. And had he not
now accepted it as his destiny that he must marry Polly Neefit?

The Saturday he passed in much trouble of spirit, and with many
doubts; but the upshot of it all was that he would keep his
engagement for the Sunday. His last chance of escape would have been
to call in Conduit Street on the Saturday and tell Mr. Neefit, with
such apologies as he might be able to make, that the marriage would
not be suitable. While sitting at breakfast he had almost resolved to
do this;--but when five o'clock came, after which, as he well knew,
the breeches-maker would not be found, no such step had been taken.
He dined that evening and went to the theatre with Lieutenant Cox.
At twelve they were joined by Fooks and another gay spirit, and they
eat chops and drank stout and listened to songs at Evans's till near
two. Cox and Fooks said that they had never been so jolly in their
lives;--but Ralph,--though he eat and drank as much and talked more
than the others,--was far from happy. There came upon him a feeling
that after to-morrow he would never again be able to call himself
a gentleman. Who would associate with him after he had married
the breeches-maker's daughter? He laid in bed late on Sunday, and
certainly went to no place of worship. Would it not be well even yet
to send a letter down to Neefit, telling him that the thing could not
be? The man would be very angry with him, and would have great cause
to be