The Fortunes of Nigel Author:Walter, Sir Scott Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. This, sir, is one among the Seignory, Hu wealth at will, and will to use his wealth, And wit to increase it. Marry, his worst folly Lie i... more »n a thriftless sort of charity, That goes a-gadding sometimes after objects. Which wise men 'wilt not see when thrust npon them. The Otd Coupte. The ancient gentleman bastled about his shop, in pettish displeasure at being summoned hither so hastily, to the interruption of his more abstract studies; and, unwilling to renounce the train of calculation which he had put in progress, he mingled whimsically with the fragments ofthe arith- metical operation, his oratory to the passengers, and angry reflections on his idle apprentices. "What d'ye lack, sir? Madam, what d'ye lack—clocks for hall or table—night- watches—day-watches?—Locking wheel being 48—the power of retort 8—the striking pins are 48—What d'ye lack, honoured sir ?—The quotient - the multiplicand—That the knaves should have gone out at this blessed minute!—the acceleration being at the rate of 5 minutes, 65 seconds, 53 thirds, 59 fourths—I will switch them both when they come back—I will, by the bones of the immortal Napier!" Here the vexed philosopher was interrupted by the entrance of a grave citizen of most respectable appearance, who, saluting him familiarly by the name of "Davic, my old acquaintance," demanded what had put him so much out of sorts, and gave him at the same time a cordial grasp of his hand. The stranger's dress was, though grave, rather richer than usu.il. His paned hose were of black velvet, lined with purple silk, which garniture appeared at the slashes. His doublet was of purple cloth, and his short cloak of black velvet, to correspond with his hose; and both were adorned with a great number of small silver buttons richly w...« less