"You can wait, Smithers," said Mr. Scruby, speaking from within. "I shan't be very long." Vavasor apologized to his agent for the injury he was doing Smithers; but Mr. Scruby explained that he was only a poor devil of a printer, looking for payment of his little account. He had printed and posted 30,000 placards for one of the late Marylebone candidates, and found some difficulty in getting his money. "You see, when they're in a small way of business, it ruins them," said Scruby. "Now that poor devil,--he hasn't had a shilling of his money yet, and the greater part has been paid out of his pocket to the posters. It is hard."
It comforted Vavasor when he thus heard that there were others who were more backward in their payments, even than himself, and made him reflect that a longer credit than had yet been achieved by him, might perhaps be within his reach. "It is astonishing how much a man may get done for him," said he, "without paying anything for years."

"You can wait, Smithers," said Mr. Scruby to him. "I shan't be long." Then he explained to Vavasor that Smithers was a poor devil of a printer, looking for payment of his little account. He had printed 30,000 placards for one of the Marylebone candidates, and found some difficulty in getting his money. "You see, when they're in a small way of business, it ruins them. That poor devil hasn't had a shilling of his money yet."
It comforted Vavasor to hear that there were others who were even more backward in their payments than himself, and it made him reflect that a longer credit might be within his reach.
"It is astonishing how much a man may get done for him," said he, "without paying anything for years."
