Though the night was cold, I was warm
enough by the, time I got to my inn; and it required
a refreshing draught of porter, with half
an hour's repose, ere I could determine to give
no farther thought to Christie and her opinions,
than those of any other vulgar prejudiced old woman.
I resolved at last to treat the thing _en
bagatelle_, and, calling for writing materials, I folded
up a cheque for L.100, with these lines on the
envelope
Chrystal, the ne'er-do-weel,
Child destined to the deil,
Sends this to Christie Steele.
And I was so much pleased with this new mode of
viewing the subject, that I regretted the lateness
of the hour prevented my finding a person to carry
the letter express to its destination.
But with the morning cool reflection came.
I considered that the money, and probably more,
was actually due by me on my mother's account to
Christie, who had lent it in a moment of great
necessity, and that the returning it in a light or
ludicrous manner was not unlikely to prevent so
touchy arid punctilious a person from accepting a
debt which was most justly her due, and which it
became me particularly to see satisfied. Sacrificing
then my triad with little regret, (for it looked better
by candlelight, and through the medium of a
pot of porter, than it did by daylight, and with
bohea for a menstruum,) I determined to employ
Mr Fairscribe's mediation in buying up the lease
of the little inn, and conferring it upon Christie
in the way which should make it most acceptable
to her feelings.
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