Ida, sitting in the drawing-room,
could occasionally hear her father's ejaculatory outbursts after this
kind:
"Why, you stupid donkey, you've added it up all wrong, it's nine
hundred and fifty, not three hundred and fifty;" followed by a "No,
no, Squire, you be a-looking on the wrong side--them there is the
dibits," and so on till both parties were fairly played out, and the
only thing that remained clear was that the balance was considerably
on the wrong side.
"Well," said the Squire at last, "there you are, you see. It appears
to me that I am absolutely ruined, and upon my word I believe that it
is a great deal owing to your stupidity. You have muddled and muddled
and muddled till at last you have muddled us out of house and home."
"No, no, Squire, don't say that--don't you say that. It ain't none of
my doing, for I've been a good sarvant to you if I haven't had much
book larning. It's that there dratted borrowing, that's what it is,
and the interest and all the rest on it, and though I says it as
didn't ought, poor Mr. James, God rest him and his free-handed ways.
Don't you say it's me, Squire."
"Well, well," answered his master, "it doesn't much matter whose fault
it is, the result is the same, George; I'm ruined, and I suppose that
the place will be sold if anybody can be found to buy it.
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