9>26 ANGEL PAVEMENT

me, Ton put all you've got on sho-an'-sho—it'sh a
shert/—but I've told 'em 'No/ Matter of prinshiple,
shee? I don't want the bookiesh' money and they're
not going to 'ave my money. What I've made/* Mr.
Pelumpton added, apparently under the impression that
he had made whole fortunes in his time, 'I've honeshtly
earned. There'sh quite enough gambling in the dealing
bishnish for me, quite enough/'

"Well, I'd rather see Edgar going up there, even if it
means he's putting his shillings on now and then," said
Mrs. Pelumpton, getting up, "than see him going round
the pubs. That's an expensive 'obby, if you like. And
you can't say you've never had a try at that, Dad. If
you ever had any principles against the publicans 'aving
your money, all I can say it they never took you very
far. What you've honestly earned you've mostly
honestly spent too/' And Mrs. Pelumpton waddled into
the kitchen.

"Yersh," said Mr. Pelumpton, completely ignoring
his wife's speech and now fixing Turgis with his watery
stare, "quite enough gambling in the dealing bishnish
for me. Now here'sh an inshtansh."

"Oh, blow you and your instances!" Turgis cried to
himself.

"ChesHt o' drawersh going up in Holloway and I'm
requeshted to 'ave a look at it. Very pretty piesh, very
pretty piesh. Worth money, that piesh. I'm tellin' you
now what I thought, at the time. I went back and shaw
Mishter Peek an' tellsh him that piesh'sh worth a ten
pound note if it'sh worth a penny. 'Go back,' he
shaysh, 'and go right up to sheven if nesheshary/ I go
back and thish piesh'sh gone. Old Craggy up the road
there had bought it—Jad to pay sheven, too—an' I could