elieve it! One of the most amusing
men I ever met!"

I remember a well-known artist one evening telling us with much sense of
humour how he had just completed the sale of an old Spanish cabinet to
two distinct and separate purchasers.

"I sold it first," recounted the little gentleman with glee, "to old
Jong, the dealer. He has been worrying me about it for the last three
months, and on Saturday afternoon, hearing that I was clearing out
and going abroad, he came round again. 'Well, I am not sure I am in a
position to sell it,' I told him. 'Who'll know?' he asked. 'They are not
in, are they?' 'Not yet,' I answered, 'but I expect they will be some
time on Monday.' 'Tell your man to open the door to me at eight o'clock
on Monday morning,' he replied, 'we'll have it away without any fuss.
There needn't be any receipt. I'm lending you a hundred pounds, in
cash.' I worked him up to a hundred and twenty, and he paid me. Upon my
word, I should never have thought of it, if he hadn't put the idea into
my head. But turning round at the door: 'You won't go and sell it to
some one else,' he suggested, 'between now and Monday?' It serves him
right for his damned impertinence. 'Send and take it away to-day if you
are at all nervous,' I told him. He looked at the thing, it is about
twelve feet high altogether. 'I would if I could get a cart,' he
muttered. Then an idea struck him. 'Does the top come off?' 'See for
yourself,' I answered; 'it's your cabinet, not mine.' I was feeling
rather annoyed with him. He examined it. 'That's all right,' he said;
'merely a couple of screws. I'll take the top with me now on my cab.'
He got a man in, and they took the upper cupboard away, leaving me the
bottom. Two hours later old Sir George called to see me about his wife's
portrait. The first thing he set eyes on was the remains of the cabinet:
he had always admired it. 'Hallo,' he asked, 'are you breaking up the
studio literally? What have you done with the other half?' 'I've sent
it round to Jong's--' He didn't give me time to finish. 'Save Jong's
commission and sell it to me direct,' he said. 'We won't argue about the
price and I'll pay you in cash.'

"Well, if Providence comes forward and insists on taking charge of
a man, it is hardly good manners to flout her. Besides, his wife's
portrait is worth twice as much as he is paying for it. He handed me
over the money in notes. 'Things not going quite smoothly with you just
at the moment?' he ask