A SPOKE IN THE WHEEL. 71

The patten-maker sold tickets for the play, and
the words that he heard after the parlour-door had
shut were, “ten box-tickets for to-night.”

The patten-maker counted out the tickets, and
Bassett, who had drawn forth a handsome scarlet
purse with gold rings from his pocket, laid down
a guinea, and without waiting for the change,
drew on his gloves, and pocketed his purse and the
tickets.

“Ten box-tickets,” said Williams to the patten- ©
maker, who looked as if he had expected it; and
thinking of a bootmaker’s bill, for the payment of
which he had received money from his aunt, drew
forth a very modest little brown purse, which Miss
Dorothy Kendrick had netted for him, and paid for
his tickets with a half-guinea, a half-crown, five
shillings, and four sixpences ; the coin looked quite
_ beggarly, and the purse was left so empty that the
rings slid off as he put it again into his pocket. But
he was not going to trouble himself Just then on that
subject. Tom Bassett also stood on the door-step as
he went out, and drawing forth an eye-glass, con-
temptuously surveyed him from head to foot. Eye-
glasses, in those days, were not as common as now ;
and Williams, though he felt stung, as it were, from
head to heel, hummed, with a gallant, careless toss of
the head, one of Jessie’s favourite airs; and recollect
ing how inconvenient any public quarrel would be,
or, in fact, any quarrel at all, as it would bring more
than he liked to the knowledge of his uncle, turned
upon his heel and walked down the street.

Now came the consideration respecting the ten
tickets, and he almost thought himself a fool for
having bought more than one for himself, What