' Yet Maskew refrained from sitting, but
stood by the bailiff's chair, turning white, and not red, as he did with
Mr. Glennie; and muttered something, that he had as lief stand as sit,
and that it should soon be Block's turn to ask sitting-room of _him_.
I was wondering what possibly could have brought Maskew there, when the
bailiff, who was ill at ease, said--'Come, Mr. Clerk, the pin hath but
another minute's hold; rehearse what has been done, for I must get this
lease delivered and off to Bridport, where much business waits.'
So the clerk read in a singsong voice that the property of the duchy of
Cornwall, called the Mohune Arms, an inn or tavern, with all its land,
tenements, and appurtenances, situate in the Parish of St. Sebastian,
Moonfleet, having been offered on lease for five years, would be let to
Elzevir Block at a rent of 12 per annum, unless anyone offered a higher
rent before the pin fell from the candle.
There was no one to make another offer, and the bailiff said to Elzevir,
'Tell them to have the horses round, the pin will be out in a minute, and
'twill save time.' So Elzevir gave the order, and then we all stood round
in silence, waiting for the pin to fall. The grease had burnt down to the
mark, or almost below it, as it appeared; but just where the pin stuck in
there was a little lump of harder tallow that held bravely out, refusing
to be melted.
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