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"Supposing--" said he, and stopped

"Well?" I inquired, and, leaning upon --wot are you a-staring at, ' twice--well?"

"Well," said he, fixing his eye upon the bellows again,

"supposing you was to es

this week?"

"I should be very much surprised," said I

"You would?"

"I certainly should"

"Then--why not surprise yourself?"

"You must speak more plainly," said I

"Well then," said the Postilion, still with his gaze abstracted,

"supposin' I was to place a guinea down on that there anvil o'

yours--would that 'elp you to reht be?"

"No!"

"It wouldn't?"

"No!"

"A guinea's a lot o' money!"

"It is," I nodded

"An' you say it wouldn't?"

"It would not!" said I

"Then say--oh! say two pun' ten an' 'ave done with it"

"No!" said I, shaking my head