f a morning, and he went away to
some business which he said he had.

"Presently there's another ring at my outer door; and this time it's
Bloundell-Bloundell and the Marky that comes in. 'Bong jour, Marky,'
says I. 'Good morning--no headache?' says he. So I said I had one;
and how I must have been uncommon queer the night afore; but they both
declared I didn't show no signs of having had too much, but took my
liquor as grave as a judge.

"'So,' says the Marky, 'Deuceace has been with you; we met him in the
Palais Royal as we were coming from breakfast. Has he settled with you?
Get it while you can: he's a slippery card; and as he won three ponies
of Bloundell, I recommend you to get your money while he has some.'

"'He has paid me,' says I; 'but I knew no more than the dead that he
owed me anything, and don't remember a bit about lending him thirty
louis.'

"The Marky and Bloundell looks and smiles at each other at this; and
Bloundell says, 'Colonel, you are a queer feller. No man could have
supposed, from your manners, that you had tasted anything stronger
than tea all night, and yet you forget things in the morning. Come,
come,--tell that to the marines, my friend,--we won't have it at any
price.'

"'En efet,' says the Marky, twiddling his little black mustachios in
the chimney-glass, and making a lunge or two as he used to do at the
fencing-school. (He was a wonder at the fencing-school, and I've seen
him knock down the image fourteen times running, at Lepage's.) 'Let us
speak of affairs. Colonel, you understand that affairs of honour are
best settled at once: perhaps it won't be inconvenient to you to arrange
our little matters of last night.'

"'What little matters?' says I. 'Do you owe me any money, Marky?'

"'Bah!' says he; 'do not let us have any more jesting. I have your note
of hand for three hundred and forty louis. La voia!' says he, taking out
a paper from his pocket-book.

"'And mine for two hundred and ten,' says Bloundell-Bloundell, and he
pulls out his bit of paper.

"I was in such a rage of wonder at this, that I sprang out of bed, and
wrapped my dressing-gown round me. 'Are you come here to make a fool
of me?' says I. 'I don't owe you two hundred, or two thousand, or two
louis; and I won't pay you a farthing. Do you suppose you can catch me
with your notes of hand? I laugh at 'em and at you; and I believe you to
be a couple----.'

"'A couple of what?' says Mr. Bloundell. 'You, of course,