led by himself and
friends,--living in a genteel street abutting on Gray's Inn Road,
with whose residence and place of business, all beneath the same
roof, George Hotspur was very well acquainted. Mr. Hart was a man
in the prime of life, with black hair and a black beard, and a new
shining hat, and a coat with a velvet collar and silk lining. He was
always dressed in the same way, and had never yet been seen by Cousin
George without his hat on his head. He was a pleasant-spoken, very
ignorant, smiling, jocose man, with a slightly Jewish accent, who
knew his business well, pursued it diligently, and considered himself
to have a clear conscience. He had certain limits of forbearance
with his customers--limits which were not narrow; but, when those
were passed, he would sell the bed from under a dying woman with her
babe, or bread from the mouth of a starving child. To do so was the
necessity of his trade,--for his own guidance in which he had made
laws. The breaking of those laws by himself would bring his trade to
an end, and therefore he declined to break them.

Mr. Hart was a man who attended to his business, and he was found at
home even in September. "Yes, Mr. 'Oshspur, it's about time something
was done now; ain't it?" said Mr. Hart, smiling pleasantly.

Cousin George, also smiling, reminded his friend of the two thousand
pounds paid to him only a few months since. "Not a shilling was
mine of that, Captain 'Oshspur, not a brass fardin'. That was quite
neshesshary just then, as you know, Captain 'Oshspur, or the fat must
have been in the fire. And what's up now?"

Not without considerable difficulty Cousin George explained to the
Jew gentleman what was "up." He probably assumed more inclination on
the part of Sir Harry for the match than he was justified in doing;
but was very urgent in explaining to Mr. Hart that when inquiry was
made on the part of Sir Harry as to the nature of the debt, the naked
truth should not be exactly told.

"It was very bad, vasn't it, Captain 'Oshspur, having to divide with
that fellow Stubber the money from the 'Orse Guards? You vas too
clever for both of us there, Mr. 'Oshspur; veren't you now, Captain
'Oshspur? And I've two cheques still on my 'ands which is marked 'No
account!' 'No account' is very bad. Isn't 'No account' very bad on
a cheque, Captain 'Oshspur? And then I've that cheque on Drummond,
signed;--God knows how that is signed! There ain't no such person
at all. Baldebeq