and his guineas away, although she would have liked to have pocketed the whole bagful.
"Ma'am," said he, handing her a guinea, "do not misunderstand me. I give you this money under an irresistible impulse."
"Sir," said she, "you are extremely good, but an irresistible impulse compels me to reject it."
Here the Sergeant entered, dodging and ducking as before.
"Sir," said old Verditter, "do not be alarmed. I am not going to hurt you. I feel myself compelled to offer you a guinea."
"Sir," said the Sergeant, pocketing the money, "I never yet was alarmed in my life. I dodge and duck like this because I am acting under an irresistible impulse."
At this point Peter entered, squaring-up in the fiercest manner at everybody.
"Sir," said old Verditter, "I hope you will not be offended, but an irresistible impulse compels me to offer you a guinea."
"Sir," said Peter, pocketing the money, "I am far from being offended, and I sincerely trust you will take this in good part."
And he knocked old Verditter down to the great astonishment of everybody. Jenny, hearing Mistress Dorothy scream, ran in to see what was the matter. By this time the state of affairs a as as follows:
The miserly old Verditter, with tears in his eyes and the worst of language on his lips, was handing guineas to everyone as fast as he could get them out of his bag.
