446 THE UNFORTUNATE LOVER. 



of horror of the task, and the exercise in that way I had just con^- 

 cluded was not calculated to abate that horror. But what will not a 

 man do that is really in love ? What would not I at that time have 

 done for Jemima ? Had she but said the word, I would have en- 

 countered a legion of tigers, I would have essayed to discover a 

 passage to the North Pole, I would have voyaged round the world 

 in a fishing boat, I would have traversed the continents of Africa 

 and America on all fours, I would have scaled the highest point of 

 Mont Blanc and vegetated a month, or longer, amongst its eternal 

 snows I would have approached nearer than ever human being did 

 before the crater of Mount ^Etna, nay, I would have dashed into it, 

 if I had thought there were any chance of getting out again — I 

 would have done all this'and a million times more, everything, in 

 short, within the range of possibility, for Jemima. Was I to hesi- 

 tate a moment then in throwing myself anew on the generosity of 

 my acquaintances to make up what was short of the sixteen shillings ? 

 They did not know me, they did not know my regard for Jemima, 

 who would have done me the injustice to credit, even had it been 

 declared to them on oath, any such thing. 



I set out on my borrowing mission, and after four hours' hard un- 

 remittino- labour, and travelling a distance, including the Eiscending 

 and descending of stairs, of full seven miles, raised the additional 

 nine shillings. 



Seven o'clock in the evening came, and I called on my two parti- 

 cular friends, whom I chanced to find together. 



" Chaps," says I, " I have no objections to treat you to a bottle of 

 wine to-night, if you'll go with me to the Flying Eagle.'' 

 " What's ado ?" said the one. 



" A bottle of wine ! There must be something unusual to-night," 

 said the other. 



" Never you mind," says I, addressing both at once," come away 

 with me, come.'' 



" O, I have it, I have it," said one of my acquaintances to the 

 other. " He's going at last to be married to Jemima ; come, let us 

 go and congratulate him on his good fortune." 

 " With all my heart,'' said the other. 



We departed that instant. In five minutes we were comfortably 

 seated in the best room in the Flying Eagle. 



I rang the bell smartly. The waiter appeared. " John," says I, 

 puUino- myself up as I spoke, " John, bring us here a bottle of your 

 Champagne.'' 



" Yes, sir," said John, accompanying the words with one of the 

 lowest and neatest bows ever made to me before or since. He 

 wheeled round, and bounded out of the apartment to bring us the 

 Champagne. 



It was brought us with due despatch. I uncorked the bottle. I 

 filled a glass to each ; and then emptied my own to the health of my 

 two friends. 



" Your very good health, Gilbert" — for that is my name — said 

 each of my friends preparatory to inverting his glass. 



I have already said that I never lasted Champagne before. I 



! 



