_Mr. H._ What are you about, you dog?

_Landlord._ Oh Lord, Sir I pardon; no thief, as I hope to be saved.
Little Pry was always honest.

_Mr. H._ What else could move you to open that box?

_Landlord._ Sir, don't kill me, and I will confess the whole truth.
This box happened to be lying--that is, I happened to be carrying
this box, and I happened to have my keys out, and so--little rusty
happened to fit--

_Mr. H._ So little rusty happened to fit!--and would not a rope fit
that rogue's neck? I see the papers have not been moved: all is safe,
but it was as well to frighten him a little (_aside_). Come,
Landlord, as I think you honest, and suspect you only intended to
gratify a little foolish curiosity--

_Landlord_. That was all, Sir, upon my veracity.

_Mr. H._ For this time I will pass it over. Your name is Pry, I
think?

_Landlord_. Yes, Sir, Jeremiah Pry, at your service.

_Mr. H._ An apt name: you have a prying temper--I mean some little
curiosity--a sort of inquisitiveness about you.

_Landlord_. A natural thirst after knowledge you may call it, Sir.
When a boy, I was never easy but when I was thrusting up the lids of
some of my schoolfellows' boxes,--not to steal anything, upon my
honor, Sir,--only to see what was in them; have had pens stuck in my
eyes for peeping through keyholes after knowledge; could never see a
cold pie with the legs dangling out at top, but my fingers were for
lifting up the crust,--just to try if it were pigeon or
partridge,--for no other reason in the world. Surely I think my
passion for nuts was owing to the pleasure of cracking the shell to
get at something concealed, more than to any delight I took in eating
the kernel. In short, Sir, this appetite has grown with my growth.

_Mr. H._ You will certainly be hanged some day for peeping into some
bureau or other just to see what is in it.

_Landlord._ That is my fear, Sir. The thumps and kicks I have had for
peering into parcels, and turning of letters inside out,--just for
curiosity. The blankets I have been made to dance in for searching
parish registers for old ladies' ages,--just for curiosity! Once I
was dragged through a horsepond, only for peeping into a closet that
had glass-doors to it, while my Lady Bluegarters was
undressing,--just for curiosity!

_Mr. H._ A very harmless piece of curiosity, truly; and now, Mr. Pry,
first have the goodness to leave that box with me, and then do me the
favor to carry your curios