Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/702

592 592 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF

dozen."
 * ' I never bet half a dozen/' said the other gentleman. " I'll take a

<* Done^, Simmery, done ! " said Wilkins Flasher, Esquire.


 * ' P. P.^ mind, " observed the other.

" Of course/' replied Wilkins Flasher, Esquire ; and Wilkins Flasher, Esquire, entered it in a little book with a gold pencil-case, and the other gentleman entered it also^ in another little book with another gold pencil case.

" I see there's a notice up this morning about BofFer," observed Mr. Simmery. " Poor devil, he's expelled the house."

'' I'll bet you ten guineas to five he cuts his throat," said Wilkins Flasher, Esquire.

^' Done," replied Mr. Simmery.


 * ' Stop ! I bar," said Wilkins Flasher, Esquire, thoughtfully.
 * ' Perhaps he may hang himself."

" Very good," rejoined Mr. Simmery, pulling out the gold pencil- case again. " I've no objection to take you that way. Say— makes away with himself."

" KiUs himself, in fact," said Wilkins Flasher, Esquire.

ten guineas to five, BofFer kills himself.' Within what time shall we say ? "
 * ' Just so/' replied Mr. Simmery, putting it down. " ^Flasher —

" A fortnight ? " suggested Wilkins Flasher, Esquire.

" Con-found it, no ; " rejoined Mr. Simmery, stopping for an instant to smash a fly with the ruler. " Say a week."

ten days."
 * ^ Split the difference," said Wilkins Flasher, Esquire. " Make it


 * ^ Well; ten days," rejoined Mr. Simmery.

So, it was entered down in the little books that Boffer was to kill himself within ten days, or Wilkins Flasher, Esquire, was to hand over to Frank Simmery, Esquire, the sum of ten guineas ; and that if Boffer did kill himself within that time, Frank Simmery, Esquire, would pay to Wilkins Flasher, Esquire, five guineas, instead.

" I'm very sorry he has failed/' said Wilkins Flasher, Esquire. " Capital dinners he gave."

" Fine port he had too," remarked Mr. Simmery. " We are going to send our butler to the sale to-morrow, to pick up some of that sixty-four."

" The devil you are !" said Wilkins Flasher, Esquire. " My man's going too. Five guineas my man outbids your man."

« Done."

Another entry was made in the little books, with the gold pencil- cases ; and Mr. Simmery having by this time killed all the flies and taken all the bets, strolled away to the Stock Exchange to see what was going forward.

Wilkins Flasher, Esquire, now condescended to receive Mr. Solomon Pell's instructions ; and having filled up some printed forms, requested the party to follow him to the Bank, which they did : Mr. Weller and his three friends staring at all they beheld in unbounded astonishment,