`Here's a man of business--a man of
years--a man of experience--in a Bank,' said Stryver; `and having summed up
three leading reasons for complete success, he says there's no reason at all!
Says it with his head on!' Mr. Stryver remarked upon tile peculiarity as if it
would have been infinitely less remarkable if he had said it with his head off.
`When I speak of success, I speak of
success with the young lady; and when I speak of causes and reasons to make
success probable, I speak of causes and reasons that will tell as such with the
young lady. The young lady, my good sir,' said Mr. Lorry, mildly tapping the
Stryver arm, `the young lady. The young lady goes before all.'
`Then you mean to tell me, Mr. Lorry,' said
Stryver, squaring his elbows, `that it is your deliberate opinion that the
young lady at present in question is a mincing Fool?'
`Not exactly so. I mean to tell you, Mr.
Stryver,' said Mr. Lorry, reddening, `that I will hear no disrespectful word Of
that young lady from any lips; and that if I knew any man--which I hope I do
not--whose taste was so coarse, and whose temper was so overbearing, that he
could not restrain himself from speaking disrespectfully of that young lady at
this desk, not even Tellson's should prevent my giving him a piece of my mind.'
The necessity of being angry in a
suppressed tone had put Mr. Stryver's blood-vessels into a dangerous state when
it was his turn to be angry; Mr. Lorry's veins, methodical as their courses
could usually be, were in no better state now it was his turn.
`That is what I mean to tell you, sir,'
said Mr. Lorry. `Pray let there be no mistake about it.'
Mr. Stryver sucked tile end of a ruler for
a little while and then stood hitting a tune out of his teeth with it, which'
probably gave him the toothache. He broke the awkward silence by saying:
`This is something new to me, Mr. Lorry.
You deliberately advise me not to go up to Soho
and offer myself--myself, Stryver of the King's Bench bar?'
`Do you ask me for my advice, Mr. Stryver?'
`Very good. Then I give it, and you have
repeated it correctly.'
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