The question was
answered by a sort of sickly smile, which seemed to indicate a perfect
despair of such a consummation. "Well, come," said the master, "I
don't think things are quite so bad, ----, as they appear to be to
you. See here, my poor fellow, you owe ---- pounds: it's a very large
sum for a man like you, to be sure; and if you had run into debt to
anything like this amount through extravagance, or even
thoughtlessness, I should have regarded it as an act of dishonesty on
your part, and I _might_ have felt it right to discharge you. But you
are to be pitied, and not to be blamed. Cold pity alone goes for
nothing, so let us see how you can be helped out of your troubles.
Now, do you think your creditors, considering all the circumstances,
would take one-half, and be satisfied? Here's Dr Edwards--his bill is
the heaviest; if we can get him to take one-half"----
"One-half, master!" exclaimed the poor man, "but if they _would_ take
half, where's the money to come from? I 'arn't got a shilling in the
world but what's coming to me Friday night; and when I take my wages
now, I 'arn't any pleasure in looking at the money, because it 'arn't
my own; it should go to pay my debts, and I'm obliged to use it to buy
victuals.
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