take his own part, and fight his own battle, 'Sir,' said he, turning to Mr. Moulder, 'I think you'll find it extremely difficult to define that word;—extremely difficult. In this enterprising country all men are more or less commercial.'
'Hear! hear!' said Mr. Kantwise.
'That's gammon,' said Mr. Moulder.
'Gammon it may be,' said Mr. Dockwrath, 'but nevertheless it's right in law. Taking the word in its broadest, strictest, and most intelligible sense, I am a commercial gentleman; and as such I do maintain that I have a full right to the accommodation of this public room.'
'That's very well put,' said Mr. Kantwise.
'Waiter,' thundered out Mr. Moulder, as though he imagined that that functionary was down the yard at the taproom instead of standing within three feet of his elbow, 'Is this gent a commercial, or is he not? Because if not,—then I'll trouble you to send Mr. Crump here. My compliments to Mr, Crump, and I wish to see him.' Now Mr. Crump was the landlord of the Bull Inn.
'Master's just stepped out, down the street,' said James,
'Why don't you answer my question, sir?' said Moulder, becoming redder and still more red about his shirt-collars.
'The gent said as how he was 'mercial,' said the poor man. 'Was I to go to contradict a gent and tell him he wasn’t when he said as how he was?'
'If you please,' said Mr. Dockwrath, 'we will not bring the waiter into this discussion. I asked for the commercial room, and he did his duty in showing me to the door of it. The fact I take to be this; in the south of England the rules to which you refer are not kept so strictly as in these more mercantile localities.'
'I've always observed that,' said Kantwise.
'I travelled for three years in Devonshire, Somersetshire, and Wiltshire,' said Moulder, 'and the commercial rooms were as well kept there as any I ever see.'
'I alluded to Surrey and Kent,' said Mr. Dockwrath.
'They're uncommonly miscellaneous in Surrey and Kent,' said Kantwise. 'There’s no doubt in the world about that.'
'If the gentleman means to say that he’s come in here because he didn't know the custom of the country, I’ve no more to say, of course,' said Moulder. 'And in that case, I, for one, shall be very happy if the gentleman can make himself comfortable in this room as a stranger, and I may say guest;—paying his own shot, of course.'
'And as for me, I shall be delighted,' said Kantwise. 'I never did like too much exclusiveness. What's the use of bottling oneself up? that’s what I always say. Besides, there’s no charity in it. We gents as are always on the road should show a little charity to them as aint so well accustomed to the work.'
