The String of Pearls (1850), p. 285

Todd groaned again.
"And if so be as the kid,° continued Peter, "did run away, my opinion is
as he'd seen enough and felt enough, while he was at Fogg's, to make him as, mad as a March hare.
There was hope in that suggestion, and Todd looked up.
"You really think, then, Mr. Peter, that&£8212;that his intellects&£8212;"
"His what?"
"His mind, I mean, has not withstood the shock of what he went through while he was in Fogg's establishment?"
"How could it? Once or twice things very nigh infected me, and how should he stand up agin 'em? But arter all, Mr. Fogg, what was it all about?"
That's what used to bother me. Was there anything in what he said, or wasn't there?"
"My good fellow," said Todd, u I have only one question to ask you&£8212;"
"Fire away."
"And that is, if you would prefer to have a sum of money down, and not
trouble me any more ?"
"Down!"
"Yes, down."
"On the nail? Well, its temptations, I own. Let me see. Thus Fogg's riglar annuity, as a fellow may call it, and a good round sum down from you, Mr. T. I think you said a good round sum down on the nail, didn't you?"
"Yes&£8212;yes. Any sum in reason."
"Done, then. I'll do it. Honour bright and shining. Mr. T., When I says a thing, it's said, and no mistake, and if I takes something down, you won't hear no more of me; whatever you may think, Mr.. T., I ain't one of them fellows as will spend their tin, and then come asking for more&£8212;not I. Oh, dear no! Only give me what's reasonable down, and the thing's settled."
"Very good," said Todd, in a voice which was calm and composed. Just step this way, into the back parlour, and I'll satisfy you. As for troubling me any more, I am, I assure you, as perfectly easy upon that point as it is at all possible to be."

CHAPTER XLII.

TODD CLEARS OFF CIRCUMSTANCES.

The arrangement come to between Todd and his visitor seemed to give equal satisfaction to both, and Mr. Peter, if he had what the phrenologists call an organ of caution at all developed, must have had acquisitiveness so large as completely to overpower its action at the present time. The idea of getting from Todd's fears a sum of money at once, and from Fogg's fears a regular small annuity, was to him a most felicitous combination of circumstances, and his reflections upon the
pleasant consequences resulting therefrom had such full possession of him, that his scruples vanished, and as he followed Todd into the back parlour from the shop, he muttered to himself&£8212;
"I'll try and get enough out of him to open a public-house."
Todd heard the wish, and turning quickly with what he intended should be an
engaging smile, he said&£8212;
"And why not, Peter&£8212;and why not? Nothing would give me more sincere gratification than seeing you in a public-house, for although a man may be a publican, he need not be a sinner, you know."
"Eh?"
"I say he need not be a sinner; and there would be nothing in the world, Peter, to prevent you from having prayers night and morning, and I am sure I should be most happy to come now and then, if it were only to say 'Amen!'"