"Well, Sir,--were I to put my trade-debts before my debts of honour, all whom I know should stamp me as no gentleman. They should reckon me some craftsman's son that had crept in amongst them peradventure." "Good lack!" said his step-mother and aunt together,--the former in dismay, the latter in satire. "I am willing that any should count me no gentleman, if he find me not one," answered his father; "but one thing will I never do, and that is, give cause to any man to reckon me a knave." "But, Sir, these be nought save a parcel of beggarly craftsmen." "Which thou shouldst have been, had it so pleased God," put in Aunt Rachel. "Aunt," said Jack loftily, "I was born a gentleman; and under your good leaves, a gentleman I do mean to live and die." "Thou hast my full good leave to live and die a gentleman, my lad," said his father; "and that is, a man of honour, truth, and probity." "And 'tis no true man, nor an honourable, that payeth not his just debts," added Rachel. "I cry thee mercy, Rachel; a gentleman never troubleth him touching debts," observed Lady Enville. "In especial unto such like low companions as these," echoed Jack. "Well!--honesty is gone out of fashion, I reckon," said Rachel. "Only this will I say, Sir," resumed Jack with an air of settling matters: "that if you will needs have my trade-debts defrayed before my debts of honour, you must, an't like you, take them on yourself. I will be no party to such base infringement of the laws of honour." "Good lack, lad! Thou talkest as though thy father had run into debt, and was looking unto thee to defray the charges! 'Tis tother way about, Jack. Call thy wits together!" exclaimed his aunt. "Well, Aunt Rachel, you seem determined to use me hardly," said Jack, with an air of reluctant martyrdom; "but you will find I harbour no malice for your evil conception of mine intents." To see this Jack, who had done all the mischief and made everybody uncomfortable, mount on his pedestal and magnanimously forgive them, was too much for Rachel's equanimity. "Of all the born fools that e'er gat me in a passion, Jack, thou art very king and captain! I would give my best gown this minute thou wert six in the stead of six-and-twenty--my word, but I would leather thee! I would whip thee till I was dog-weary, whatever thou shouldst be. The born patch [fool]!--the dolt [dunce]!--the lither loon [idle, good-for-nothing fellow]!--that shall harbour no malice against me because--he is both a fool and a knave! If thou e'er hadst any sense, Jack (the which I doubt), thou forgattest to pack it up when thou earnest from London. Of all the long-eared asses ever I saw--" Mistress Rachel's diatribe came to a sudden close, certainly not from the exhaustion of her feelings, but from the want of suitable words wherein to express them. "Aunt!" said Jack, still in an injured tone, "would you have me to govern myself by rule and measure, like a craftsman?"