“Well, now, I am not so very certain of that; and as it is Davis will have to book up, it might be safer, perhaps, that I did n't go beyond the amount he mentions,--eh?” “As you will,--as you please yourself. I only say, dere is der Herr Davis's name; he send it to me and say, 'Milord will do de rest.'” “So that he sent you a blank acceptance?” cried Beecher, in amazement. “Yaas, Just as you see,--'Christopher Davis,' and de flourish as usual. Ach, der Davis!” and he sighed once more. The man who held Grog's signature on a blank stamp assumed no common shape in Annesley Beecher's eyes, and he continued to gaze on the old man with a strange sense of awe and astonishment. If he had not the document there before him on the table, he would not have believed it. The trustful courage of Van Amburgh, who used to place his head in the lion's mouth, seemed poor in comparison with such heroic boldness as this; and he gazed at the writing in a sort of fascination. “And Grog actually sent you that over by letter?” asked he again. “Yaas, as you see,” was the calm answer. “Well, here goes then, Abraham--Lazarus, I mean; make it out for a matter of--five--no, eight--hang it, let as say ten thousand florins when we are about it! Ten thousand, at six months,--eh?” “Better at tree months,--we can always renew,” said Stein, calmly. “Of course; and by that time we may want a little more liquor in the decanter,--eh! old boy?” said Beecher, laughing joyfully. “To be sure, vaary mush more liquor as you want it.” “What a brick!” said Beecher, clapping him on the shoulder in all the ecstasy of delight. “Dere!” said the Jew, as he finished writing, “all is done; only to say where it be paid,--what bank at London.” “Well, that is a bit of a puzzle, I must own!” said Beecher, rubbing his chin with an air of doubt and hesitation. “Where do de Lord Lackington keep his account?” asked the Jew; and the question was so artfully posed that Beecher Answered promptly,-- “Harmer and Gore's, Lombard Street, or Pall Mall, whichever you like.” “Hanper and Gore. I know dem vaary well,--that will do; you do sign your name dere.” “I wish I could persuade you that Annesley Beecher would be enough,--eh?” “You write de name as der Davis say, and no oder!” “Here goes, then! 'In for a penny,' as the proverb says,” muttered he; and in a bold, dashing hand, wrote “Lackington” across the bill. [Illustration: 058] “Ah!” said the Jew, as he examined it with his glass, and scanned every letter over and over; “and now, vat you say for de Cuyp, and de Mieris, and de Ostade,--vill you take 'era all, as I say?” “I 'll think over it,--I 'll reflect a bit first, Master Stein. As for pictures, they 're rather an encumbrance when a man has n't a house to hang them in.” “You have de vaary fine house in town, and an oder vaary fine house in de country, beside a what you call box--shoot-box--”