"I'm very sorry to hear such a statement from the lips of a clergyman," said the foreman, with much severity; "for the lady to whom I refer is the representative, and, indeed, the personification of Justice--" "Oh, you mean 'Astræa,'" said Father Letheby. "Quite so, sir," said the merchant, pompously. "When Astery left the earth she took refuge in the Church." "Indeed!" said Father Letheby, "I was not aware of that interesting fact." "Well, sir," said the merchant, nettled at this sarcastic coolness, "at least we, laymen, are accustomed to think so. We have been taught to repose unbounded confidence in our clergy--" "And how have I forfeited that confidence?" said Father Letheby, who began to see a certain deliberate insult under all this silliness. "Well, you see, sir," he continued, "we relied on your word of honor, and did not demand the usual securities for the advance of our money. And now we find ourselves in a curious predicament--our money gone, and no redress." "You doubt my word of honor now?" said Father Letheby, who, to his own seeming, had been a miracle of patience. "We have been deceived, sir," said the merchant, grandly. "Pray, how?" said Father Letheby. "You may not be aware of the meaning of your language, nor of the usual amenities of civilized society, but you should at least know that your language approaches very closely to insult." "We _have_ been deceived, sir," said the other, severely. "Might I repeat my question, and ask you how?" said Father Letheby. "We got the most repeated assurance, sir," said the merchant, "that this boat would be a mine of wealth. Instead of that, it is, if I may so speak, a tornado of ruin and misfortune. It lies, if I may use the expression, at the bottom of the briny sea." "To cut a long story short," said another of the deputation, "that boat was a swindle from beginning to end, and I know it--" "Pardon me, gentlemen," said Father Letheby, rising, "but I must now cut short the interview, and ask you to retire--" "Ask us to retire with our money in your pocket!" "Turn us out, and we--" "Now, gentlemen, there is no use in prolonging this unpleasantness. Be good enough to leave my house. Lizzie, show these gentlemen the door." He had touched the bell. "We retire, sir, but we shall come again. We retreat, but we return. Like Marius,"--the foreman was now in the street, and there was a pretty fair crowd around the door,--"like Marius, like Marius--" "Who the d----l would marry the likes of you, you miserable omadhaun," said Jem Deady, who knew by instinct that this was a hostile expedition. "Give us de word, your reverence, and we'll chuck the whole bloomin' lot into the say. It was many a long day since they had a bat', if we're to judge by dere dirty mugs."