Or if I didn't humour them they would to a certainty turn crusty and critical, and spoil my party for me.
No, the only thing was to make the best of Beadle Square, and to that end I determined to tackle Mrs Nash at once.
You may fancy the good woman's surprise and scorn when I propounded to her my ambitious scheme.
"You give a party! Fiddlesticks! You'll do nothing of the sort." "Please, Mrs Nash," pleaded I, "it will be a very quiet one, I promise." "And where do you expect to have it, I wonder ?" said she.

"In the coal- cellar, I suppose?
That's the only spot in the house that ain't occupied." "Oh," replied I, thinking it judicious to laugh at this facetious suggestion, "I'd like the parlour for that evening, if you could manage it, Mrs Nash." "What! are you going to ask all the fellows here to your party, then ?" "Oh, no.

Couldn't you let them know the parlour's engaged for that evening ?--just for once?
You know I'd pay you something--" "I dare say you would!--you'd pay anything, you would! And what are you going to give them all to eat, eh ?" "Oh, I'll see to that," said I.
This was an unfortunate reply of mine.

Mrs Nash, as it happened, was inclined to enter into my scheme, and, had I only known it, would have offered to take some trouble to help me.

But this answer of mine offended her sorely.
"Oh, very well," said she, loftily; "you don't want me, I can see, and I'm just as glad." In vain I protested, and implored her not to be vexed.