‘Now, you know,’ said the Alderman, addressing his two friends, with a self-complacent smile upon his face which was habitual to him, ‘I am a plain man, and a practical man; and I go to work in a plain practical way. That’s my way. There is not the least mystery or difficulty in dealing with this sort of people if you only understand ’em, and can talk to ’em in their own manner. Now, you Porter! Don’t you ever tell me, or anybody else, my friend, that you haven’t always enough to eat, and of the best; because I know better. I have tasted your tripe, you know, and you can’t “chaff” me. You understand what “chaff” means, eh? That’s the right word, isn’t it? Ha, ha, ha! Lord bless you,’ said the Alderman, turning to his friends again, ‘it’s the easiest thing on earth to deal with this sort of people, if you understand ’em.’ Famous man for the common people, Alderman Cute! Never out of temper with them! Easy, affable, joking, knowing gentleman! ‘You see, my friend,’ pursued the Alderman, ‘there’s a great deal of nonsense talked about Want—“hard up,” you know; that’s the phrase, isn’t it? ha! ha! ha!—and I intend to Put it Down. There’s a certain amount of cant in vogue about Starvation, and I mean to Put it Down. That’s all! Lord bless you,’ said the Alderman, turning to his friends again, ‘you may Put Down anything among this sort of people, if you only know the way to set about it.’ Trotty took Meg’s hand and drew it through his arm. He didn’t seem to know what he was doing though. ‘Your daughter, eh?’ said the Alderman, chucking her familiarly under the chin. Always affable with the working classes, Alderman Cute! Knew what pleased them! Not a bit of pride! ‘Where’s her mother?’ asked that worthy gentleman. ‘Dead,’ said Toby. ‘Her mother got up linen; and was called to Heaven when She was born.’ ‘Not to get up linen _there_, I suppose,’ remarked the Alderman pleasantly. Toby might or might not have been able to separate his wife in Heaven from her old pursuits. But query: If Mrs. Alderman Cute had gone to Heaven, would Mr. Alderman Cute have pictured her as holding any state or station there? ‘And you’re making love to her, are you?’ said Cute to the young smith. ‘Yes,’ returned Richard quickly, for he was nettled by the question. ‘And we are going to be married on New Year’s Day.’ ‘What do you mean!’ cried Filer sharply. ‘Married!’ ‘Why, yes, we’re thinking of it, Master,’ said Richard. ‘We’re rather in a hurry, you see, in case it should be Put Down first.’ ‘Ah!’ cried Filer, with a groan. ‘Put _that_ down indeed, Alderman, and you’ll do something. Married! Married!! The ignorance of the first principles of political economy on the part of these people; their improvidence; their wickedness; is, by Heavens! enough to—Now look at that couple, will you!’ Well? They were worth looking at. And marriage seemed as reasonable and fair a deed as they need have in contemplation.