Part 25 (2/2)
”Ay, carry him to Flus.h.i.+ng,” said the Captain, ”or--to America?”
”Ay, ay, my friend.”
”Or--to Jericho?”
”Psha! Wherever you have a mind.”
”Ay, or--pitch him overboard?”
”Nay, I advise no violence.”
”Nein, nein--you leave that to me. Sturm-wetter! I know you of old. But, hark ye, what am I, Dirk Hatteraick, to be the better of this?”
”Why, is it not your interest as well as mine?” said Glossin; ”besides, I set you free this morning.”
”You set me free!--Donner and deyvil! I set myself free. Besides, it was all in the way of your profession, and happened a long time ago, ha, ha, ha!”
”Pshaw! pshaw! don't let us jest; I am not against making a handsome compliment--but it's your affair as well as mine.”
”What do you talk of my affair? is it not you that keep the bouncer's whole estate from him? Dirk Hatteraick never touched a stiver of his rents.”
”Hush-hush--I tell you it shall be a joint business.”
”Why, will ye give me half the kit?”
”What, half the estate?--d'ye mean . Ye should set up house together at Ellangowan, and take the barony, ridge about?”
”Sturm-wetter, no! but you might give me half the value--half the gelt. Live with you? Nein--I would have a l.u.s.thaus of mine own on the Middleburgh d.y.k.e, and a blumengarten like a burgomaster's.”
”Ay, and a wooden lion at the door, and a painted sentinel in the garden, with a pipe in his mouth!--But, hark ye, Hatteraick; what will all the tulips, and flower-gardens, and pleasure-houses in the Netherlands do for you, if you are hanged here in Scotland?”
Hatteraick's countenance fell. ”Der deyvil! hanged?”
”Ay, hanged, meinheer Captain. The devil can scarce save Dirk Hatteraick from being hanged for a murderer and kidnapper, if the younker of Ellangowan should settle in this country, and if the gallant Captain chances to be caught here re-establis.h.i.+ng his fair trade! And I won't say, but, as peace is now so much talked of, their High Mightinesses may not hand him over to oblige their new allies, even if he remained in faderiand.”
”Poz bagel blitzen and donner! I--I doubt you say true.”
”Not,” said Glossin, perceiving he had made the desired impression, ”not that I am against being civil;” and he slid into Hatteraick's pa.s.sive hand a bank-note of some value.
”Is this all?” said the smuggler; ”you had the price of half a cargo for winking at our job, and made us do your business too.”
”But, my good friend, you forget--in this case you will recover all your own goods.”
”Ay, at the risk of all our own necks--we could do that without you.”
”I doubt that, Captain Hatteraick,” said Glossin dryly, ”because you would probably find a dozen red-coats at the Custom-house, whom it must be my business, if we agree about this matter, to have removed. Come, come, I will be as liberal as I can, but you should have a conscience.”
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