RIDGEON. Was it anything about Dubedat?

BLENKINSOP [almost breaking down] I ought to keep it to myself, I know.
I cant tell you, Ridgeon, how ashamed I am of dragging my miserable
poverty to your dinner after all your kindness. It's not that you wont
ask me again; but it's so humiliating. And I did so look forward to one
evening in my dress clothes (THEYRE still presentable, you see) with all
my troubles left behind, just like old times.

RIDGEON. But what has happened?

BLENKINSOP. Oh, nothing. It's too ridiculous. I had just scraped up four
shillings for this little outing; and it cost me one-and-fourpence to
get here. Well, Dubedat asked me to lend him half-a-crown to tip
the chambermaid of the room his wife left her wraps in, and for the
cloakroom. He said he only wanted it for five minutes, as she had his
purse. So of course I lent it to him. And he's forgotten to pay me. I've
just tuppence to get back with.

RIDGEON. Oh, never mind that--

BLENKINSOP [stopping him resolutely] No: I know what youre going to say;
but I wont take it. Ive never borrowed a penny; and I never will. Ive
nothing left but my friends; and I wont sell them. If none of you were
to be able to meet me without being afraid that my civility was leading
up to the loan of five shillings, there would be an end of everything
for me. I'll take your old clothes, Colly, sooner than disgrace you by
talking to you in the street in my own; but I wont borrow money. I'll
train it as far as the twopence will take me; and I'll tramp the rest.

WALPOLE. Youll do the whole distance in my motor. [They are all greatly
relieved; and Walpole hastens to get away from the painful subject by
adding] Did he get anything out of you, Mr Schutzmacher?

SCHUTZMACHER [shakes his head in a most expressive negative].

WALPOLE. You didnt appreciate his drawing, I think.

SCHUTZMACHER. Oh yes I did. I should have liked very much to have kept
the sketch and got it autographed.

B. B. But why didnt you?

SCHUTZMACHER. Well, the fact is, when I joined Dubedat after his
conversation with Mr Walpole, he said the Jews were the only people
who knew anything about art, and that though he had to put up with
your Philistine twaddle, as he called it, it was what I said about the
drawings that really pleased him. He also said that his wife was greatly
struck with my knowledge, and that she always admired Jews. Then he
asked me to advance him 50 pounds on the security of the