168 THE BET. 



had elicited ; but seemed to be considering 

 what he should say in retaliation. What 

 was our surprise, then, when, gently raising 

 his head from his hands, and looking round 

 the room with a complacent smile, he 

 said " Gentlemen, I'll pay the bet." 



The next day the majority of the com- 

 pany, myself included, for he insisted on 

 my remaining in town sat down to as 

 good a dinner as the city of London 

 could provide, and no expense was spared 

 in the variety or quality of the wines. 

 The winner and the loser sat at each end 

 of the table, and to my great surprise 

 no reference whatever was made to the 

 subject of the bet. All passed off in the 

 greatest good humour, heightened, no doubt, 

 by the success that one and all had met 

 with at Somerset House in the morning. 

 The bill was called and cheerfully paid by 

 my friend, without a syllable being said 

 by the company ; and when they dispersed, 



