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〃Don't let my chaff choke ye； doctor。 That warn't meant for _you_ altogether。 So if you _have_ got a little bit of that 'ere about you〃
〃I'm not a ratcatcher； my man： I don't go with dith in my pocket； like the surgeons that carry a lancet。 And if I had Murder in both pockets； you shouldn't get any。 Here's a greedy dog！ got a thousand pounds in the bank； and grudges his healer a guinea； and his mouse a stand…up bite。〃
〃Now； who have been a telling you lies？〃 inquired Maxley severely。 〃My missus； for a farthing。 I'm not a thousand…pound man； I'm a nine…hundred…pound man； and it's all safe at Hardie's。〃 Here he went from his roar to his whisper； 〃I don't hold with Lunnon banks； they be like my missus's eggs： all one outside； and the rotten ones only known by breaking。 Well （loud） I _be_ pretty close； I don't deny it； but （confidentially） my missus beats me。 I look twice at a penny； but she looks twice at both sides of a halfpenny before she will let him go： and it's her being so close have raised all this here bobbery； and so I told her； says I； 'Missus； if you would but leave an end of a dip； or a paring of cheese； about your cupboard； she would hide at home； but you hungers her so； you drives her afield right on atop o' my roots。' 'Oh；' says my missus； 'if _I_ was to be as wasteful as _you_ be； where should _we_ be come Christmas day？ Every tub on its own bottom；' says she； 'man and wife did ought to keep theirselves to theirselves； she to the house； and I to the garden。' 'So be it； says I； 'and by the same toaken； don't let me catch them 〃Ns〃 in my garden again； or I'll spoil their clucking and scratching；' says I； 'for I'll twist their dalled necks： ye've got a yard；' says I； 'and a roost； and likewise a turnpike； you and your poultry： so bide at home the lot； and don't come a scratching o' me；' and with that we had a ripput； and she took one of her pangs； and then I behoved to knock under； and that is allus the way if ye quarrel with woman…folk； they are sworn to get the better of ye by hook or by crook。 Now dooe give me a bit of that ere； to quiet this here； as eats me up by the roots and sets my missus and me by the ears。〃
〃Justum ac tenacem propositi virum；〃 whispered Alfred to Edward。
Sampson told him angrily to go to a certain great personage。
〃Not afore my betters；〃 whispered Mr。 Maxley； smit with a sudden respect for etiquette 〃Won't ye； now？〃
〃I'll see ye hanged first； ye miserly old assassin。〃
〃Then I have nothing to thank _you_ for；〃 roared Maxley； and made his adieux； ignoring with marked contempt the false physician who declined to doctor the foe of his domestic peace and crocuses。
〃Quite a passage of arms；〃 said Edward。
〃Yes；〃 said Mrs。 Dodd； 〃and of bludgeons and things； rather than the polished rapier。 What expressions to fall from two highly educated gentlemen！ SlopePotato…trapSawbonesCatlap_je n'en finirais pas。_〃
She then let them know that she meditated a 〃dictionary of jargon；〃 in hopes that its bulk might strike terror into honest citizens； and excite an anti…jargon league to save the English language； now on the verge of dissolution。
Sampson was pleased with this threat。 〃Now； that is odd；〃 said he。 〃Why； I am compilin' a vocabulary myself。 I call 't th' ass…ass…ins' dickshinary； showing how； by the use of mealy…mouthed and d'exotic phrases； knaves can lead fools by th' ear a vilent dith。 F'r instance； if one was to say to John Bull； 'Now I'll cut a great gash in your arm and let your blood run till ye drop down senseless；' he'd take fright and say； 'Call another time！' So the profissional ass…ass…in words it thus： 'I'll bleed you from a large orifice till the occurrence of syncope。' All right sis John： he's bled from a lar j'orifice and dies three days after of th' assassin's knife hid in a sheath o' goose grease。 But I'll bloe the gaff with my dictionary。〃
〃Meantime _there_ is another contribution to mine；〃 said Mrs。 Dodd。
And they agreed in the gaiety of their hearts to compare their rival Lexicons。
CHAPTER XIII
THE subsiding sea was now a liquid Paradise： its great pellucid braes and hillocks shone with the sparkle and the hues of all the jewels in an emperor's crown。 Imagineafter three days of inky sea； and pitchy sky； and Death's deep jaws snapping and barely missingten thousand great slopes of emerald； aquamarine； amethyst and topaz； liquid； alive； and dancing jocundly beneath a gorgeous sun： and you will have a faint idea of what met the eyes and hearts of the rescued looking out of that battered； jagged ship； upon ocean smiling back to smiling Heaven。
Yet one man felt no buoyancy； nor gush of joy。 He leaned against a fragment of the broken bulwark； confused between the sweetness of life preserved and the bitterness of treasure losthis wife's and children's treasured treasure； benumbed at heart； and almost weary of the existence he had battled for so stoutly。 He looked so moody； and answered so grimly and unlike himself； that they all held aloof from him； heavy heart among so many joyful ones； he was in true solitude； the body in a crowd； the soul alone。 And he was sore as well as heavy； for of all the lubberly acts he had ever known； the way he had lost his dear ones' fortune seemed to him the worst。
A voice sounded in his ear： 〃Poor thing！ she has s foundered。〃
It was Fullalove scanning the horizon with his famous glass。
〃Foundered？ Who？〃 said Dodd； though he did not care much who sank； who swam。 Then he remembered the vessel； whose flashing guns had shed a human ray on the unearthly horror of the black hurricane。 He looked all round。
Blank。
Ay； she had perished with all hands。 The sea had swallowed her； and spared himungrateful。
This turned his mind sharply。 Suppose the _Agra_ had gone down； the money would be lost as now； and his life into the bargaina life dearer to all at home than millions of gold： he prayed inwardly to Heaven for gratitude and goodness to feel its mercy。 This softened him a little； and his heart swelled so； he wished he was a woman to cry over his children's loss for an hour； and then shake all off and go through his duty somehow； for now he was paralysed； and all seemed ended。 Next； nautical superstition fastened on him。 That pocket…book of his was Jonah： it had to go or else the ship； the moment it did go； the storm had broken as by magic。
Now Superstition is generally stronger than rational Religion； whether they lie apart or together in one mind； and this superstitious notion did something toward steeling the poor man。 〃Come；〃 said he to himself 〃my loss has saved all these poor souls on board this ship。 So be it！ Heaven's will be done！ I must bustle； or else go mad。〃
He turned to and worked like a horse： and with his own hands helped the men to rig parallel ropesa substitute for bulwarkstill the perspiration ran down him。
Bayliss now reported the well nearly dry； and Dodd was about to bear up and make sail again； when one of the ship…boys； a little fellow with a bright eye and a chin like a monkey's； came up to him and said
〃Please； captain！〃 Then glared with awe at what he had done； and broke down。
〃Well； my little man？〃 said Dodd gently。
Thus encouraged； the boy gave a great g