e passage, and was making his
way to the door of Ralph's office with very little ceremony, when Newman
interposed his body; and hinting that Mr Nickleby was unwilling to be
disturbed, inquired whether the client's business was of a pressing
nature.

'It is most demnebly particular,' said Mr Mantalini. 'It is to melt some
scraps of dirty paper into bright, shining, chinking, tinkling, demd
mint sauce.'

Newman uttered a significant grunt, and taking Mr Mantalini's proffered
card, limped with it into his master's office. As he thrust his head in
at the door, he saw that Ralph had resumed the thoughtful posture into
which he had fallen after perusing his nephew's letter, and that he
seemed to have been reading it again, as he once more held it open in
his hand. The glance was but momentary, for Ralph, being disturbed,
turned to demand the cause of the interruption.

As Newman stated it, the cause himself swaggered into the room, and
grasping Ralph's horny hand with uncommon affection, vowed that he had
never seen him looking so well in all his life.

'There is quite a bloom upon your demd countenance,' said Mr Mantalini,
seating himself unbidden, and arranging his hair and whiskers. 'You look
quite juvenile and jolly, demmit!'

'We are alone,' returned Ralph, tartly. 'What do you want with me?'

'Good!' cried Mr Mantalini, displaying his teeth. 'What did I want! Yes.
Ha, ha! Very good. WHAT did I want. Ha, ha. Oh dem!'

'What DO you want, man?' demanded Ralph, sternly.

'Demnition discount,' returned Mr Mantalini, with a grin, and shaking
his head waggishly.

'Money is scarce,' said Ralph.

'Demd scarce, or I shouldn't want it,' interrupted Mr Mantalini.

'The times are bad, and one scarcely knows whom to trust,' continued
Ralph. 'I don't want to do business just now, in fact I would rather
not; but as you are a friend--how many bills have you there?'

'Two,' returned Mr Mantalini.

'What is the gross amount?'

'Demd trifling--five-and-seventy.'

'And the dates?'

'Two months, and four.'

'I'll do them for you--mind, for YOU; I wouldn't for many people--for
five-and-twenty pounds,' said Ralph, deliberately.

'Oh demmit!' cried Mr Mantalini, whose face lengthened considerably at
this handsome proposal.

'Why, that leaves you fifty,' retorted Ralph. 'What would you have? Let
me see the names.'

'You are so demd hard, Nickleby,' remonstrated Mr Mantalini.

'Let me see the names,' replied Ralph, imp