The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 11 cannot concelve why Mr. Small should take such a liberty. Have you any accusation,” he added, turning coldly towards his partner, “ against the probity of Mr. Gridley 2” “* None.”’ ‘I thought not.” * But he is a drunkard.” ** We have all our faults, Mr. Small. A man may be a drunkard, and yet not a scoundrel !” ‘‘ Exactly the difference between your partner and myself, sir,” observed Gridley, with a sneer. “I did but offer to replace Mr. Lawrence, who is already wet to the skin, in a course which Mr. Small suddenly found it necessary to send him on, when the latter lost both his temper and his manners. Had it been one of his own precious cubs,” he added, grumbling between his teeth, “the affairs of the firm might have waited long enough before he had sent him out on a day like this.”’ *‘ Richard, my dear fellow,” exclaimed Henry Beacham, stepping forward, and seizing the poor clerk by the hand, “ you are ill—very ill; my uncle, I am sure, would not wish you to expose your health on such a day as this. I am surprised, sir,”’ he added, turning to Mr. Small, “ that you had not more humanity than to think of such a thing.” Both the partners winced. The senior, at the expres- sion of friendship of his nephew for the poor clerk ; and junior, at the reproach which his conscience told him was well merited. COniiclooecl SS (SO