th, from sheer want of breath, obtained the required boon, Mr.
Frampton, waving his hand with a dignified gesture, began as follows:--

"Umph! on this happy occasion, gentlemen--set of noisy young scamps!--on
this happy occasion, I say"--(shouts of encore! bravo! etc.)--"what I
was going to say was--umph!" (a cry of "You have said it," from a man
near the door, who thought he could not be seen, but was). "Much obliged
to you, sir, for your observation," continued Mr. Frampton, fixing his
glance unmistakably on the Detected One, "but I have not said it,
nor does it seem very likely I ever shall say it, if you continue to
interrupt me with your wretched attempts at wit." (Cries of "Hear!
hear! don't interrupt the governor! Shame! shame!" and an aside from
Mr. Frampton, "Had him there, umph!" during all of which the detected
individual was striving to open the door, which several men, who had
perceived his design, held firmly against him.) "What I was going to
say," resumed the speaker, "when that gentleman who is trying to leave
the room ~248~~interrupted me" (more cries of "Shame!"), "was, that I
beg, in the name of my friend, Frank Fairlegh, to invite you all to a
champagne breakfast in his rooms to-morrow," (tremendous cheering, and a
cry of "Bravo, governor! you are a brick!" from Lawless), "and in my own
name to thank you all, except the gentleman near the door, who has not
yet, I see, had the grace to leave the room, for the patience with
which you've listened to me," (laughter, and cries of "It was a shame to
interrupt him," at which the Detected One, with a frantic gesture,
gives up the door, and, turning very pale, glances insanely towards the
window), "and for the very flattering attentions which you have all
of you generally, and Mr. Archer in particular, done me the honour of
paying me."

A perfect tornado of cheers and laughter followed Mr. Frampton's speech,
after which I thanked them all for the kind interest they had expressed
in my success, and begged to second Mr. Frampton's invitation for the
following day. This matter being satisfactorily arranged, certain of
the party laid violent hands on the Detected One, who was a very shy
freshman of the name of Pilkington, and, despite his struggles, made him
go down on his knees and apologise in set phrase to Mr. Frampton for his
late unjustifiable conduct; whereupon that gentleman, who enjoyed the
joke, and entered into it with as much zest as the veriest pickl