171010 QULLR SID OF 1THINGS.
hath never done this thing, so that he cannot be Mr. Talent. But for all that, we will go and inquire, that we may not be i error.”
So they went to him that had the brght and knowing cye : and they inquired of hin, saving, “ Can this other really be Mr. Talent, instead of you?”
And he said, “ Nay, he cannot be 7 and straightway shook them all by the hand
CHE SHOUIS
seven times, and made a great feast of chicken and champagne o and he also dictated to them many little pars about himsell, the which they were to mmsert in the papers ;. and the pars ran thus and thus: = Mr. Talent, who 1s a very great man, has gone on a yachting cruise,” and, “ Among the guests at Marlborough House were the Marquis of A, and Prince B, and Mr. Talent,” and so forth. And those that wrote the puffs went back satisfied to the editors : and the editors suppressed the letter of him of the back strect.
Now, had he of the knowing cove naot overlooked one of those whose duty it was to write the puffs, then would all have been well; but there was one of these whose hand he had forgotten to shake, and whose wifc and family he had neglected to inquire after; so that this one, reading the letter of him of the back street, felt that there mieht bhe something o this thing, and that it vas his duty to inquire, 1 order that jastice might be done if necessary.
PHIELD AL EY THE HAND SV
543
So he went to him of the back street, and mquired of the matter, holding out his hand to be shaken, and stating that he had a family, and looking about on the table to sce 1 the whisky and soda were there: but when he of the back street neither shook his hand, nor inquired of his family, nor gave him to drink, he said to himself that there could be nothing in i1t yet, nevertheless, he cot his ceditor to publish the letter, to the end
12D\
(s
that he of the knowing eve might he reminded that he had not shaken his hand, nor done his duty.
And the Public read this Tetter i that newspaper, and were dreadfully puzzled and upsct; so much so, that some among them began to believe that he of the back strect cas Mr. Talent : and there was great con- fusion and questioning; and everybody went about saving, ““Who s the real Mr. Talent 27
Then said he of the bright eye to himself': “Shall T not go into partnership with this old Talent?” (IFor you sce that he called the other by that name to himself, just as though he himself were not Mr. Talent, but some- once clse s the which 1s very curious to think of 1) And he said, “This old Talent may be usclul even to e at least, T shall be as well with him as without him.”
So - he went to partnership with him of the back street who had no jam to his bread, and the next wecek they both came out of the back street and built a