"Going at seventeen--seventeen--_sev-en-teen--sev-en-teen_. Going at seven-_teen_. `Eighteen.' I thank you, sir. Eighteen--eighteen-- eighteen. Nineteen is bid," said the auctioneer, while the Jews grinned and chuckled. "Not half its vally yet, sir," cried Mr Isaacs. "Don't give it away, sir. Orter make fifty pun', at the least." "Thou villainous Shylock," I muttered to myself, "but I can afford a few pounds sooner than be beaten." "This splendid Turkey carpet, fit for any nobleman's mansion, now stands at nineteen pounds," cried the man in the rostrum. "Say another pound for you, sir!" I nodded. "Twenty pounds--twenty--twenty--guineas--twenty-one pound is offered. It's against you, sir, at twenty-one pounds." I nodded again. "Twenty-two pounds," cried the auctioneer. "Twenty-two pounds. Any advance upon twenty-two pounds," he continued, amid much chuckling, when, as there was no further reply to the challenges, I became the fortunate owner of the carpet at double its worth. "Name," cried the auctioneer, and then catching my eye, he nodded, and went on with the next lot. "I'll keep out of sight again, I think," I muttered, and returned to my corner, feeling very hot and bristly, as I determined to reopen the knocking-out discussion in the morning papers, for it was evident that I was the victim of a conspiracy. But I was warm in temper as well as body, and therefore determined not to be driven away, so I purchased an elegant set of card and occasional tables at about double their value; gave six pounds ten for the damaged dinner-service; seven pounds for the china; five guineas for a wool mattress, and found myself at last bidding twelve shillings an ounce for some of the plate. The Jews seemed frantic with delight, but I knew all the while it was only to conceal their anger and annoyance; and, though I kept carefully out of sight, I knew the bolts and shafts of their coarse allusions were being directed at me, while their hidden confederate on the opposite side of the room bid furiously. Once or twice I felt disposed to leave off, and let the high-priced lots be knocked down to the Israelitish villain. "But no," I said, "I'll have what I want in spite of them, and cunning as they are;" for the rascals kept sending their chaff flying at their confederate as well. "What a good job Retort has gone!" I muttered; "I shall never have the face to tell anyone what I have given." And now, as it was fast getting dusk, and our Jewish friends were beginning to be sportive and indulge in such little freaks of fancy as bonneting the porters, and accidentally causing articles of furniture to fall against their fellows, all of which tended to make the confusion worse than before, I left the auctioneer hurrying through the last of that day's lots, and made the best of my way out; when, to my surprise, I found Retort in the hall.