doubt._) Here, you, Sir, take this _portemonnaie_
out into the street for five minutes or so, I trust to your honour to
return it intact. (_After I had emerged triumphantly from this severe
ordeal of my ~bona fide~._) Aha, JOHNSON! am I the judge of men or not?

_Mr J._ (_still seeking, as I could see, to undermine me in his friend's
favour_). Pish! Who would steal a paltry L50 and lose L1000? If I had so
much to give away, I should wish to be sure that the party I was about
to endow had corresponding confidence in _me_. Now, though I have always
considered you as a dull, I know you to be strictly honest, and would
trust you with all I possess. In proof of which, take these two golden
sovereigns and few shillings outside. Stay away as long as you desire.
You will return, I know you well!

_Myself_ (_penetrating this shallow artifice, and hoisting the
engine-driver on his own petard_). Who would not risk a paltry L2 to
gain L1000? Oh, a magnificent confidence, truly!

_Mr J._ (_to me_). Have you the ordinary manly pluck to act likewise? If
you are expecting him to trust you with the pot of money, he has a right
to expect to be trusted in return. That is logic!

_Mr T._ (_mildly_). No, JOHNSON, you are too hasty, JOHNSON. The cases
are different. I can understand the gentleman's very natural hesitation.
I do not ask him to show his confidence in me--enough that I feel I can
trust _him_. If he doubts my honesty, I shall think no worse of him;
whichever way I decide eventually.

[_Here, terrified lest by hesitation I had wounded him at
his quick, and lest, after all, he should decide to entrust
the thousand pounds to ~Mr JOHNSON~, I hastily produced all
the specie and bullion I had upon me, including a valuable
large golden chronometer and chain of best English make, and
besought him to go into the outer air for a while with them,
which, after repeated refusals, he at last consented to do,
leaving ~Myself~ and ~Mr JOHNSON~ to wait._

_Mr J._ (_after tedious lapse of ten minutes_). Strange! I expected him
back before this. But he is an absent-minded, chuckle-headed chap. Very
likely he is staring at a downfallen horse and has forgotten this
affair. I had better go in search of him. What? you will come, too.
Capital! Then if you go to the right, and I to the left, we cannot miss
him!

But, alack! we did; and, in a short time, both Misters were invisible to
the nude eye,