bottle had for some time circulated, his good-humoured volubility
suddenly ceased, and he seemed for a time to be wholly lost in thought.
While he "chewed the cud" in this ruminating state, his illustrious host
remarked his very unusual quiescency, and interrupted it by inquiring
the subject of his meditation. "I have been reflecting, Sir," replied
the colonel, "on the lofty independence of my present situation. I have
compromised with my creditors, paid my washerwoman, and have three
shillings and sixpence left for the pleasures and necessities of life,"
exhibiting at the same time current coin of the realm, in silver and
copper, to that amount, upon the splendid board at which he sat.

Having occasion to express his gratitude to his friend and patron for
his nomination to a situation under government (which, had he been
prudent, might have sufficed for genteel support), it is said that the
royal personage condescended to observe, on the colonel's expatiating
on the advantages of his office, that "now he was rich, he would so
far impose upon his hospitality as to dine with him;" at the same time
insisting on the repast being any thing but extravagant. "I shall give
your royal highness a leg of mutton, and nothing more, by G----," warmly
replied the gratified colonel, in his plain and homely phrase. The day
was nominated, and the colonel had sufficient time to recur to his
budget and bring his ways and means into action. Where is the
sanguineless being whose hopes have never led him wrong? if such there
be, the colonel was not one of those. Long destitute of credit and
resources, he looked upon his appointment as the incontestable source of
instant wealth, and he hesitated not to determine upon the forestalment
of its profits to entertain the "first gentleman in England." But, alas!
agents and brokers have flinty hearts. There were doubts (not of his
word, for with creditors that he had never kept), but of the accidents
of life, either naturally, or by one of those casualties he had depicted