IV.


Fitzroy Timmins, whose taste for wine is remarkable for so young a man,
is a member of the committee of the "Megatherium Club," and the great
Mirobolant, good-natured as all great men are, was only too happy to
oblige him. A young friend and protege of his, of considerable merit,
M. Cavalcadour, happened to be disengaged through the lamented death
of Lord Hauncher, with whom young Cavalcadour had made his debut as an
artist. He had nothing to refuse to his master, Mirobolant, and would
impress himself to be useful to a gourmet so distinguished as Monsieur
Timmins. Fitz went away as pleased as Punch with this encomium of the
great Mirobolant, and was one of those who voted against the decreasing
of Mirobolant's salary, when the measure was proposed by Mr. Parings,
Colonel Close, and the Screw party in the committee of the club.

Faithful to the promise of his great master, the youthful Cavalcadour
called in Lilliput Street the next day. A rich crimson velvet waistcoat,
with buttons of blue glass and gold, a variegated blue satin stock, over
which a graceful mosaic chain hung in glittering folds, a white hat
worn on one side of his long curling ringlets, redolent with the most
delightful hair-oil--one of those white hats which looks as if it had
been just skinned--and a pair of gloves not exactly of the color of
beurre frais, but of beurre that has been up the chimney, with a natty
cane with a gilt knob, completed the upper part at any rate, of the
costume of the young fellow whom the page introduced to Mrs. Timmins.

Her mamma and she had been just having a dispute about the
gooseberry-cream when Cavalcadour arrived. His presence silenced Mrs.