Whilst Salmon went on with this process of weighing, which he did with
perfect _sang-froid_, he began to mutter, "Five hundred and ninety-four
pounds, ten shillings, and six-pence; too much, too much by half, for
worm-eaten bed-steads and chairs, darned curtains and faded portraits;
but Mr. Dymock, to show you that I am a man of honour, I will pay you at
this moment four hundred pounds in the King's gold, and the remainder,
that is, the one hundred and ninety-four pounds, ten shillings, and
six-pence, shall be put to arbitration; we will go over each item, you
and I, and a friend of each, and we will examine every article together,
and if it is decided that the things are worth the moneys, well and
good, it shall be so, and I will forthwith pay down the residue, though
not compelled so to do by bond or signature."
Again the hot blood of the Dymocks rose to the brow of the Laird; by an
amazing effort of prudence and presence of mind, however, he caught up
Salmon's note from the table, a motion which made the old man start,
look up, and turn yellow, and then whisking round on his heel, with an
expression of sovereign contempt, the Laird turned out of the room,
exclaiming, "I scorn to address another word to thee, old deceiver; I
shake the dust of thy floor from my foot; I shall send those to talk
with thee, whose business it is to deal with deceivers;" and thus he
quitted the chamber, drawing the door after him with a force which made
every chamber in the Tower reverberate.
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