Page:Moonfleet - John Meade Falkner.pdf/98

 company to make an offer of rent for such a desirable property under a five years' lease, and as Elzevir and I are the only company present, the bidding is soon done; for Elzevir offers a rent of £12 a year, which has always been the value of the Why Not. The clerk makes a note of this; but the business is not over yet, for we must wait till the pin drops out of the candle before the lease is finally made out. So the men fell to smoking to pass the time, till there could not have been more than ten minutes' candle to burn, and Mr. Bailiff, with a glass of Ararat milk in his hand, was saying, Tis a curious and fine tap of hollands you keep here, Master Block," when in walked Mr. Maskew.

A thunderbolt would not have astonished me so much as did his appearance, and Elzevir's face grew black as night; but the bailiff and clerk showed no surprise, not knowing the terms on which persons in our village stood to one another, and thinking it natural that some one should come in to see the pin drop, and the end of an ancient custom. Indeed, Maskew seemed to know the bailiff, for he passed the time of day with him, and was then for sitting down at the table without taking any notice of Elzevir or me. But just as he began to seat himself, Block shouted out, "You are no welcome visitor in my house, and I would sooner see your back than see your face, but sit at this table you shall not." I knew what he meant, for on that table they had laid out David's body; and with that he struck his fist upon the board so smart as to make the bailiff jump and nearly bring the pin out of the candle.

"Heyday, sirs," says Mr. Bailiff, astonished, "let us