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born--or ought to have been one." Now, do you suppose, acute reader, that Mr. Tag-rag was insincere in all this? By no means. He spoke the real dictates of his heart, unaware of the sudden change which had taken place in his feelings. It certainly has an ugly look of improbability--but it was the _nature of the beast_; his eye suddenly caught a glimpse of the golden calf, and he instinctively fell down and worshipped it. "Well--at all events," said Mr. Gammon, scarcely able to keep a serious expression on his face--"though he's not lived much like a gentleman hitherto, yet he will live for the future like a _very great gentleman_--and spend his money like one, too." "I--I--dare say--- he will!--I wonder how he _will_ get through a quarter of it!--what do _you_ think he'll do, sir?" "Heaven only knows--he may very shortly do just what he likes! Go into the House of Commons, or--perhaps--have a peerage given him"---- "Lord, sir!--I feel as if I shouldn't be quite right again for the rest of the day!--I own to you, sir, that all yesterday and to-day I've been on the point of going to Mr. Titmouse's lodgings to apologize for--for---- Good gracious me! one can't take it all in at once--Ten thousand a-year!--Many a lord hasn't got more--some not half as much, I'll be bound!--Dear me, what will he do!--Well, one thing I'm _sure_ of--he'll never have a truer friend than plain Thomas Tag-rag, though I've not always been a-flattering him--I respected him too much!--The many little things I've borne with in Titmouse, that in any one else I'd have--But why didn't he tell me, sir? We should have understood one another in a moment."--Here he paused abruptly; for his breath seemed suddenly taken away, as he reviewed the series of indignities which he had latterly inflicted on Titmouse--the kind of life which that amiable young gentleman had led in his establishment. Never had the keen Gammon enjoyed anything more exquisitely than the scene which I have been describing. To a man of his practical sagacity in the affairs of life, and knowledge of human nature, nothing could appear more ludicrously contemptible than the conduct of poor Tag-rag. How differently are the minds of men constituted! How Gammon despised Tag-rag! And what opinion has the acute reader by this time formed of Gammon? "_Now_, may I take for granted, Mr. Tag-rag, that we understand each other?" inquired Gammon. "Yes, sir," replied Tag-rag, meekly. "But
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