Staines:
"People that buy presents blindfold give duplicates and triplicates;
and men seldom choose to a woman's taste; so be pleased to accept the
enclosed tea-leaves, and buy for yourself. The teapot you can put on the
hob, for it is nickel."
Rosa looked sore puzzled again. "Papa," said she, timidly, "have we any
friend that is--a little--deranged?"
"A lot."
"Oh, then, that accounts."
"Why no, love," said Christopher. "I have heard of much learning making
a man mad, but never of much good sense."
"What! Do you call this sensible?"
"Don't you?"
"I'll read it again," said Rosa. "Well--yes--I declare--it is not so mad
as I thought; but it is very eccentric."
Lusignan suggested there was nothing so eccentric as common sense,
especially in time of wedding. "This," said he, "comes from the City. It
is a friend of mine, some old fox; he is throwing dust in your eyes with
his reasons; his real reason was that his time is money; it would have
cost the old rogue a hundred pounds' worth of time--you know the City,
Christopher--to go out and choose the girl a present; so he has sent his
clerk out with a check to buy a pewter teapot, and fill it with specie."
"Pewter!" cried Rosa.
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