Cit.—­And what could you say, then?

Lady.—­Say! in truth I was ashamed to say any more, but still was resolved not to be pleased, and so came away, as you see.

Cit.—­And he has not disobliged you at all, has he?

Lady.—­Just the contrary, indeed. (Here she repeated the words the mercer had said to her, and the modesty and civility he had treated her with.)

Cit.—­Well, Madam, I assure you I have been faithful to my promise, for you cannot have used him so ill as I have used his partner—­for I have perfectly abused him for having nothing to please me—­I did as good as tell him I believed he was going to break, and that he had no choice.

Lady.—­And how did he treat you?

Cit.-Just in the same manner as his partner did your ladyship, all mild and mannerly, smiling, and in perfect temper; for my part, if I was a young wench again, I should be in love with such a man.

Lady.—­Well, but what shall we do now?

Cit.—­Why, be gone.  I think we have teazed them enough; it would be cruel to bear-bait them any more.

Lady.—­No, I am not for teazing them any more; but shall we really go away, and buy nothing?

Cit.—­Nay, that shall be just as your ladyship pleases—­you know I promised you I would not buy; that is to say, unless you discharge me of that obligation.

Lady.—­I cannot, for shame, go out of this shop, and lay out nothing.

Cit.—­Did your ladyship see any thing that pleased you?

Lady.—­I only saw some of the finest things in England—­I don’t think all the city of Paris can outdo him.

Cit.—­Well, madam, if you resolve to buy, let us go and look again.

Lady.—­’Come, then.’  And upon that the lady, turning to the mercer—­’Come, sir,’ says she, ’I think I will look upon that piece of brocade again; I cannot find in my heart to give you all this trouble for nothing.’

‘Madam,’ says the mercer, ’I shall be very glad if I can be so happy as to please you; but, I beseech your ladyship, don’t speak of the trouble, for that is the duty of our trade; we must never think our business a trouble.’

Upon this the ladies went back with him into his inner shop, and laid out between sixty and seventy pounds, for they both bought rich suits of clothes, and used his shop for many years after.

The short inference from this long discourse is this:  That here you see, and I could give many examples very like this, how, and in what manner, a shopkeeper is to behave himself in the way of his business—­what impertinences, what taunts, flouts, and ridiculous things, he must bear in his business, and must not show the least return, or the least signal of disgust—­he must have no passions, no fire in his temper—­he must be all soft and smooth:  nay, if his real temper be naturally fiery and hot, he must show none of it in his shop—­he must be a perfect complete hypocrite, if he will be a complete tradesman.[16]