time-payment furniture, please, sir."

Romeo contributed a shilling. "You're a sport," he said. "They're all on
to you. Dolly herself's delighted. Yes, you're right as rain for the
prize, but you might put me on--what?"

"I'm feather-legged Ned, with ther consumptive corf," said Nickie. "Would
you please give me a shillin' t' pay fer me medicine?"

"No, dash me if I do!" said Romeo, and he went off laughing.

Nickie took champagne with Sir Peter Teazie, Rip Van Winkle, Slender, and
Henry VIII., and under the influence of the good wine became more
audacious. He passed the hat with a characteristic complaint wherever a
few guests were assembled, and in view of the vast amusement he was
giving was allowed any license in reason. The offerings of the charitable
he deposited in the tail pocket of his coat, and presently the weight
dragged at him with a grateful pressure, and the silver clanked as he
walked. Fortune was not actually staring him in the face, but it was
hanging on behind.

By one o'clock in the morning Nickie was carrying round a champagne
bottle in his left hand, from which he refreshed himself, and he was no
longer able to walk a chalk line as wide as a tram with an certainty, and
had got into the way of clinging to the curtains and hangings; but this
was all accepted as part of an excellent piece of caricature, and earned
our hero some applause.

Just before supper a lady, dressed as Portia, came forward, and pinned a
neat design of gold laurel leaves and emeralds on the breast of Mr.