"Foul tongues and calumnies! Master Seadrift, this unlawful manner of
playing round business, after accounts are settled and receipts passed,
may lead to other loss besides that of character. The commander of the
Coquette is not more than half satisfied of my ignorance of your misdoings
in behalf of the customs, already; and these jokes are like so many
punches into a smouldering fire, on a dark night. They only give light,
and cause people to see the clearer:--though, Heaven knows, no man has
less reason to dread an inquiry into his affairs than myself! I
challenge the best accountant in the colonies to detect a false footing,
or a doubtful entry, in any book I have, from the Memorandum to the
Leger."
"The Proverbs are not more sententious, nor the Psalms half as poetical,
as your library. But why this secret parley?--The brigantine has a swept
hold."
"Swept! Brooms and Van Tromp! Thou hast swept the pavilion of my niece of
its mistress, no less than my purse of its johannes. This is carrying a
little innocent barter into a most forbidden commerce, and I hope the joke
is to end, before the affair gets to be sweetening to the tea of the
Province gossips. Such a tale would affect the autumn importation of
sugars!"
"This is more vivid than clear. You have my laces and velvets; my brocades
and satins are already in the hands of the Manhattan dames; and your furs
and johannes are safe where no boarding officer from the Coquette--"
"Well, there is no need of speaking-trumpets, to tell a man what he knows
already, to his cost! I should expect no less than bankruptcy from two or
three such bargains, and you wish to add loss of character to loss of
gold.
Pages:
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240