"Never draw a hasty conclusion," answered Mr. Lintot; "I mean to do my best for you!"
"Do you mean to publish my poems?" cried Walter.
"Why, you see, sir, the times are bad, and I am no speculator. I have a wife and family, and a man with a wife and family must be just before he is generous. Besides, my two youngest children have just had the hooping-cough, and they must have a little country air: all these things are expensive. I appeal to your feelings, sir, whether you would drive a hard bargain with a man in my situation?"
"I leave it entirely to yourself," replied Maynard, despondingly.
"Sir, I will run the risk of publishing your volume. Paper and printing are terrible things; I wish books could do without them: but I will venture. I heard you highly spoken of yesterday: we will share what profits there are, and your list of subscribers will insure us against loss."
It did far more, by the by, to say nothing of Sir Jasper Meredith's secret guarantee.
