He was sitting lazily
across a chair with his arms resting on the back; eating nuts, and
throwing the shells out of window as he cracked them, which he still
continued to do while speaking.
'Aye,' he said, with a sulky nod. 'You may deny your nephews till you
die; but Chevy Slyme is Chevy Slyme still, all the world over. Perhaps
even you may feel it some disgrace to your own blood to be employed in
this way. I'm to be bought off.'
'At every turn!' cried Martin. 'Self, self, self. Every one among them
for himself!'
'You had better save one or two among them the trouble then and be for
them as well as YOURself,' replied his nephew. 'Look here at me! Can you
see the man of your family who has more talent in his little finger than
all the rest in their united brains, dressed as a police officer without
being ashamed? I took up with this trade on purpose to shame you. I
didn't think I should have to make a capture in the family, though.'
'If your debauchery, and that of your chosen friends, has really brought
you to this level,' returned the old man, 'keep it. You are living
honestly, I hope, and that's something.
Pages:
1453
1454
1455
1456
1457
1458
1459
1460
1461
1462
1463
1464
1465
1466
1467
1468
1469
1470
1471
1472
1473
1474
1475
1476
1477