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to myself, and our families may still be allied by my union with Miss Fanny.

Sterl. Mighty fine, truly! Why, what the plague do you make of us,2 Sir John? Do you come to market for my daughters, like servants at a statute-fair ? 3 Do you think that I will suffer you, or any man in the world,1 to come into my house, like the Grand Signior, and throw the handkerchief first to one, and then to t'other, just as he pleases? Do you think I drive a kind of African slavetrade with them;5 and

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Sir John. A moment's patience, sir! Nothing but the excess of my passion for Miss Fanny should have induced me to take any step that had the least appearance of disrespect to any part of your family; and even now I am desirous to atone for my transgression, by making the most adequate compensation that lies in my power.

Sterl. Compensation! what compensation can you possibly make in such a case as this, Sir John?

Sir John. Come,7 come, Mr. Sterling; I know you to be a man of sense, a man of business, a man of the world. I'll deal frankly with you; and you shall see that I don't desire a change of measures for my own gratification, without endeavouring to make it advantageous to you. Sterl. What advantage can your inconsistency be to me, Sir John?

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trade' is, properly, in French,
traite des nègres (or, des noirs), or,
simply, traite; but there are no
'negroes' in this case, and, as to
traite, it also means the regular
exchange of certain goods made on
the African coasts. However,
there could be no ambiguity here,
and traite africaine might be used.
6 Simply, A moment.'
7 Allons; or, Voyons.

un homme qui entendez les affaires. The expression, homme d'affaires is also sometimes used in this sense; but it more commonly means an 'agent' (for general, not for commercial affairs).

8 que je fasse-pres. subj. (or, better, fais, pres. ind., i. e., that I actually do drive,' 'that I actually do carry on') ici une espèce de commerce d'esclaves, comme un marchand d'Afrique? 'Slave

Sir John. I'll tell you,1 sir.-You know that by the articles at present subsisting between us, on the day of my marriage with Miss Sterling, you agree to pay down the gross sum of eighty thousand pounds.

Sterl. Well!

Sir John. Now if you will but consent to my waiving that marriage—

Sterl. I agree to your waiving that marriage! Impossible, Sir John!

Sir John. I hope not,3 sir; as on my part, I will agree to waive my right to thirty thousand pounds of the fortune I was to receive with her.4

Sterl. Thirty thousand, d'ye say?

Sir John. Yes, sir; and accept of Miss Fanny with fifty thousand, instead of fourscore.

Sterl. Fifty thousand

Sir John. Instead of fourscore.

[Pausing.

Sterl. Why-why-there may be something in that.5Let me see-Fanny with fifty thousand, instead of Betsy with fourscore.-But how can this be,7 Sir John? For you know I am to pay this money into the hands of my Lord Ogleby; who, I believe, between you and me, Sir John, is not overstocked with ready money at present; and threescore thousand of it, you know, is to go to pay off the present encumbrances on the estate, 10 Sir John.

Sir John. That objection is easily obviated.11 Ten of the twenty thousand, which would remain as a surplus of the fourscore, after paying off 12 the mortgage, was intended by his lordship for my use, that we might set off with some little éclat on our marriage; and the other ten for his own. Ten thousand pounds, therefore, I shall be able

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to pay you immediately; and for the remaining twenty thousand, you shall have a mortgage on that part of the estate which is to be made over to me,1 with whatever 2 security you shall require for the regular payment of the interest, till the principal is duly discharged.

Sterl. Why to do3 you justice, Sir John, there is something fair and open in your proposal; and since I find you do not mean to put an affront upon the family

Sir John. Nothing was ever farther from my thoughts,4 Mr. Sterling. And after all, the whole affair is nothing extraordinary-such things happen every day; and as the world has only heard generally of a treaty between the families, when this marriage takes place, nobody will be the wiser, if we have but discretion enough to keep our own counsel.7

Sterl. True, true; and since you only transfer from one girl to the other, it is no more than transferring so much stock, you know.

Sir John. The very thing!

Sterl. Odso! I had quite forgot.9-We are reckoning without our host here 10-there is another difficulty

Sir John. You alarm me. What can that be?

Sterl. I can't stirll a step in this business without consulting my sister Heidelberg.-The family has very great expectations from her,12 and we must not give her any offence. 13

Sir John. But if you come into this measure,14 surely she will be so kind as to consent

Sterl. I don't know that 15-Betsy is her darling, and I

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can't tell how far

she may resent any slight that seems to be offered to her favourite niece. However, I'll do the best I can for you.3 You shall go and break the matter to her first, and by the time I may suppose that your rhetoric has prevailed on her to listen to reason, I will step in to reinforce your arguments.

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Sir John. I'll fly to her immediately; you promise me your assistance?

Sterl. I do.7

Sir John. Ten thousand thanks for it! and now success attend me! [Goings Sterl. Hark'e, Sir John! [SIR JOHN returns.9] Not a word of the thirty thousand to my sister, Sir John.

Sir John. Oh, I am dumb, I am dumb, sir. [Going.
Sterl. You'll remember it is thirty thousand.
Sir John. To be sure I do.

Sterl. But, Sir John!—one thing more.10 [SIR JOHN returns.] My Lord must know nothing of this stroke of friendship between us.

Sir John. Not for the world. Let me alone!11 Let me alone! [Offering to go.

Sterl. [Holding him.] we must give each other bargain.

Sir John. To be sure. or whatever you please.

And when everything is agreed, a bond to be held fast to the 12

A bond by all means!13 a bond, [Exit hastily.

Sterl. I should have thought of more conditions—he's

1 'I ignore.'

2 jusqu'à quel point.-'may;' use the future of pouvoir. 3 to satisfy you.'

4 Allez la trouver pour entamer le sujet; or, Rompez la glace (break the ice') en lui en parlant le premier. and when I have reason (page 47, note 1, and page 52, note 2) to &c. has succeeded (page 121, note 14) in making her listen to reason (entendre raison,and see page 108, note 1).'

suppose

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11 No, for nothing in the (page 40, note 3) world. Let me !'

12 we shall make, you and I, a reciprocal bond (obligation) which will secure our.'

13 by all means,' here, oui, oui.

in a humour to give me everything-why, what mere children are your fellows of quality; that cry for a plaything one minute, and throw it by the next! as changeable as the weather, and as uncertain as the stocks.1 Special fellows to drive a bargain! and yet they are to take care of 2 the interest of the nation, truly! Here does this whirligig man of fashion offer3 to give up thirty thousand pounds in hard money, with as much indifference as if it was a china orange. By this mortgage, I shall have a hold on his terra firma; and if he wants more money, as

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he certainly will,7-let him have children by my daughter or not, I shall have his whole estate in a net for the benefit of my family.

THE NATIVE VILLAGE.

A KIND of dread had hitherto kept me back; but I was restless now, till I had accomplished my wish. I set out one morning to walk; I reached Widford about eleven in the forenoon; after a slight breakfast at my inn, where I was mortified to perceive the old landlord did not know me again (old Thomas Billet, he has often made anglerods 10 for me when a child), I rambled over all my accustomed haunts.

Our old house was vacant, and to be sold; I entered, unmolested, into the room that had been my bed-chamber. I kneeled down on the spot where my little bed had stood : I felt like a child; I prayed like one." 11 It seemed as

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