صفحة 818 من 2651

The house is crazy, says a weary traveller to himself, and will

not stand very long; but it is a chance if it falls to-night, and

I will venture, therefore, to sleep in it to-night.

The trader A in Edinburgh, we shall suppose, draws a bill upon B

in London, payable two months after date. In reality B in London

owes nothing to A in Edinburgh; but he agrees to accept of A's

bill, upon condition, that before the term of payment he shall

redraw upon A in Edinburgh for the same sum, together with the

interest and a commission, another bill, payable likewise two

months after date. B accordingly, before the expiration of the

first two months, redraws this bill upon A in Edinburgh; who,

again before the expiration of the second two months, draws a

second bill upon B in London, payable likewise two months after

date; and before the expiration of the third two months, B in

London redraws upon A in Edinburgh another bill payable also two

months after date. This practice has sometimes gone on, not only

for several months, but for several years together, the bill

always returning upon A in Edinburgh with the accumulated

interest and commission of all the former bills.