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360 "It's overdue, ain't it?"

"Oh yes, it's overdue. There's no doubt about that."

"Well, when a bit of paper is come round, the next thing is to take it up. Them's my ideas. And, to tell you the truth, Mr. Sowerby, we don't think as 'ow you've been treating us just on the square lately. In that matter of Lord Lufton's you was down on us uncommon."

"You know I couldn't help myself."

"Well, and we can't help ourselves now. That's where it is, Mr. Sowerby. Lord love you, we know what's what, we do. And so, the fact is, we're uncommon low as to the ready just at present, and we must have them few hundred pounds. We must have them at once, or we must sell up that clerical gent. I'm dashed if it ain't as hard to get money from a parson as it is to take a bone from a dog. 'E's 'ad 'is account, no doubt, and why don't 'e pay?"

Mr. Sowerby had called with the intention of explaining that he was about to proceed to Barchester on the following day with the express view of "making arrangements" about this bill, and, had he seen John Tozer, John would have been compelled to accord to him some little extension of time. Both Tom and John knew this, and therefore John—the soft-hearted one—kept out of the way. There was no danger that Tom would be weak; and, after some half hour of parley, he was again left by Mr. Sowerby without having evinced any symptom of weakness.

"It's the dibs as we want, Mr. Sowerby, that's all," were the last words which he spoke as the member of Parliament left the room.

Mr. Sowerby then got into another cab, and had himself driven to his sister's house. It is a remarkable thing with reference to men who are distressed for money—distressed as was now the case with Mr. Sowerby—that they never seem at a loss for small sums, or deny themselves those luxuries which small sums purchase. Cabs, dinners, wine, theatres, and new gloves are always at the command of men who are drowned in pecuniary embarrassments, whereas those who don't owe a shilling are so frequently obliged to go without them! It would seem that there is no gratification so costly as that of keeping out of debt. But then it is only fair that, if a man has a hobby, he should pay for it.

Any one else would have saved his shilling, as Mrs.