en we should go to dinner.

As I was very anxious to see Mr Handycock, and very anxious to have my
dinner, I was not sorry to hear the clock on the stairs strike four;
when Mrs Handycock jumped up, and put her head over the banisters.
"Jemima, Jemima, it's four o'clock!"

"I hear it, marm," replied the cook; and she gave the frying-pan a
twist, which made the hissing and the smell come flying up into the
parlour, and made me more hungry than ever.

Rap, tap, tap! "There's your master, Jemima," screamed the lady. "I
hear him, marm," replied the cook. "Run down, my dear, and let Mr
Handycock in," said his wife. "He'll be so surprised at seeing you open
the door."

I ran down as Mrs Handycock desired me, and opened the street-door.
"Who the devil are you?" in a gruff voice, cried Mr Handycock; a man
about six feet high, dressed in blue cotton-net pantaloons and Hessian
boots, with a black coat and waistcoat. I was a little rebuffed, I must
own, but I replied that I was Mr Simple. "And pray, Mr Simple, what
would your grandfather say if he saw you now?"

"Law, Mr Handycock," said his wife, from the top of the stairs, "how
can you be so cross? I told him to open the door to surprise you."

"And you have surprised me," replied he, "with your cursed folly."

While Mr Handycock was rubbing his boots on the mat, I went upstairs,
rather mortified, I must own, as my father had told me that Mr
Handycock was his stock-broker, and would do all he could to make me
comfortable. When I returned to the parlour, Mrs Handycock whispered
to me, "Never mind, my dear, it's only because there's something wrong
on 'Change. Mr Handycock is a _bear_ just now." I thought so too, but
made no answer, for Mr Handycock came upstairs.

"Are you ready for your dinner, my dear?" said the lady, almost
trembling.

"If the dinner is ready for me. I believe we usually dine at four,"
answered her husband gruffly.

"Jemima, Jemima, dish up! do you hear, Jemima?"

"Yes, marm," replied the cook, "directly I've thickened the butter;" and
Mrs Handycock resumed her seat, with:

"Well, Mr Simple, and how is your grandfather, Lord Privilege?"

"He is quite well, ma'am," answered I, for the fifteenth time at least.
But dinner put an end to the silence which followed this remark. Mr
Handycock walked downstairs, leaving his wife and me to follow at our
leisure.

"Pray, ma'am," inquired I, as soon as he was out of hearing, "what is
the matte