"Not a bit of it--not a bit of it! Had I asked her three dollars a
yard, she would have wanted it for two. So I said six, to begin with,
expecting to fall extensively; and, to put a good face on the matter,
told her that it cost within a fraction of what I asked to make the
importation--remarking, at the same time, that the goods were too
rich in quality to bear a profit, and were only kept as a matter of
accommodation to certain customers."

"And she bought at five?"

"Yes; thinking she had obtained the velvet at seventy-five cents a
yard less than its cost. Generous customer, truly!"

"While you, in reality, made two dollars and a half on every yard she
bought."

"Precisely that sum."

"She had six yards."

"Yes; out of which we made a clear profit of fifteen dollars. That
will do, I'm thinking. Operations like this count up fast."

"Very fast. But, Mr. Jasper"--

"But what, Edward?"

"Is it altogether prudent to multiply operations of this character?
Won't it make for you a bad reputation, and thus diminish, instead of
increasing, your custom?"