s already waiting for you!"

"Oh! come, I say--you know; I can't stand this. You mustn't do
anything, Braham; and you must stop Hyman, because I've come home--come
over--come on purpose--that is, I have something good on my book."

The money-lender watched him narrowly.

"Have indeed--matter of great importance--case of thousands, in fact--
clear me of all my little unpleasantries."

"Pooh!" ejaculated the money-lender, dropping the servile now that his
client began to implore. "Something on the Heath, or the Derby, or
Oaks. I never knew one of your family yet with _nous_ enough to do
anything but lose. Now, look here, my lord: are you prepared to pay me
four thousand three hun--"

"No; not a penny!" exclaimed his lordship, earnestly; "but, look here,
Braham," he cried, catching his visitor by the button; "I've got
something in hand--I have indeed: not betting. Something safe and
paying; but you must give me time, and let me have a few hundreds to
carry on with."

"Bah!" exclaimed the Jew fiercely, "I'm not going to be shilly-shallied
with any more. Now, look here, my lord; I've given you time, and I've
been patient. You've had documents served upon you; but even to the
last I wouldn't be hard. I said to myself, I'll give him every chance;
and I've done it; but you only turn round upon me like all the rest,
friend as I've been to you. And now it has come to this--I've asked you
to pay me, and you won't."

"I can't, I tell you--'pon my word I can't," exclaimed his lordship,
following his visitor to the door, and pressing it back, as the other
tried to get it open.

"Very well. Then I must have my pound of flesh!" said the Jew, with a
bitter grin. "Only, you see, my lord, we are wiser than our old
ancestor, Shylock: we do not bargain for exact weight, and, to avoid the
punishment awarded to the shedder of blood, we take the whole body.
Your lordship weighs twelve stone, I should think?"

"Fourteen stone," said the Viscount, complacently.

"Plenty of weight, and to spare, then," said the Jew, laughing.

"But you don't mean what you say, Braham?" said his lordship, anxiously.

"I never joke on money matters, my lord; I've a couple of sheriff's
officers and a cab across the road, my lord. If you will take the
trouble to walk across to the window you can see them."

Lord Maudlaine took a step across towards the window; but he was back in
an instant.

"But I say, Braham," he exclaimed, "this is get