"I suppose, by your non-appearance, that the phil_a_sophy of my
note, and the previous silence of the writer, have put or kept you
in _humeur_. Never mind--it is hardly worth while.
"This day have I received information from my man of law of the
_non_--and never likely to be--performance of purchase by Mr.
Claughton, of _im_pecuniary memory. He don't know what to do, or when
to pay; and so all my hopes and worldly projects and prospects are
gone to the devil. He (the purchaser, and the devil too, for aught
I care,) and I, and my legal advisers, are to meet to-morrow, the
said purchaser having first taken special care to enquire 'whether
I would meet him with temper?'--Certainly. The question is this--I
shall either have the estate back, which is as good as ruin, or I
shall go on with him dawdling, which is rather worse. I have
brought my pigs to a Mussulman market. If I had but a wife now, and
children, of whose paternity I entertained doubts, I should be
happy, or rather fortunate, as Candide or Scarmentado. In the mean
time, if you don't come and see me, I shall think that Sam.'s bank
is broke too; and that you, having assets there, are despairing of
more than a piastre in the pound for your dividend. Ever," &c.
* * * * *