Then came the regulation interview between the Nabob and his steward, Mr.Peter Varga, who was such a fool that he not only did not know how to steal, but was by no means willing to even receive presents except for services rendered.

Anybody else in his place would long since have become a millionaire; but he had not got much beyond fastening a pair of silver spurs in his Kordovan leather boots, and making use of a ramshackle old _caleche_, to which he attached two horses, trained by his own hand ever since they were colts.

This, moreover, was only when he wanted to cut a figure.
And now, too, we see him descending from this venerable conveyance.

He forbears to drive right in, lest the cranky wheels of his carriage should cut up the beautiful round pebbles with which the courtyard is covered.
The inside of the carriage was chock-full of longish tied-up bundles of documents, which Mr.Peter first of all crammed into the arms of the two heydukes hastening to meet him, and sent on before him, whilst he, picking his way along, with his spurred feet at a respectable distance from each other, straddled leisurely into the presence of Master Jock, who was awaiting him in the office of the family archives, whose gigantic whitewashed and gilded coffers, in their worm-eaten cases, rose up to the ceiling, filled with the mummies of old deeds and discharged accounts, which, for a long series of years, had been disturbed by nobody except an ostracized mouse or two; and what accursed appetite or hereditary perversity constrained even them to feed upon such meagre fare, when the granaries and bacon-larders were in such tempting proximity, Heaven only knows.
Master Jock, on perceiving the approaching steward, leaned forward in his armchair, and held out his hand.

Peter, however, instead of advancing straight towards the hand extended towards him, retreated backwards all round the large oak table, to avoid the discourtesy of approaching his honour from the left hand; and, even when he got where he thought he ought to be, he remained standing before him, at three paces' distance, and bowed with deep respect.
"Come, come, man! Draw nearer!" cried the confidential heyduke Palko,[7] who was also present.