"I don't know where you are going for
brightness nowadays. Just look at the other papers--here is the
_Club_--did you ever see such a rag? Here is the _Spy_--I don't think
you could tell if you were reading a number of last year or this week
if you didn't look at the date! I've given them up for news. I look
to see if they have got a new advertisement; if they have, I send
Tomlinson and see if I can get one too."

Thigh made some judicious observations, and the conversation was
continued during dinner. Frank and Mike vying with each other to show
their deference to Thigh's literary opinions--Lizzie eager to know
what he thought of her dinner.

Thigh said the turbot was excellent, that the cutlets were very nice,
that the birds were splendid; the jam pudding was voted delicious.
And they leaned back in their chairs, their eyes filled with the
torpor of digestion. Frank brought out a bottle of old port, the last
of a large supply which he had had from Mount Rorke's wine merchant.
The pleasure of the wine was in their stomachs, and under its
influence they talked of Tennyson, Leonardo da Vinci, Corot, and the
_Ingoldsby Legends_. The servant had brought in the lamp, cigars were
lighted, the clock struck nine. As yet not a word had been spoken of
the business, and seeing that Mike was deep in conversation with
Lizzie, Frank moved his chair towards Thigh, and said--

"Well, what about buying half of the paper?"

"I'm quite ready to buy half the paper on the conditions I've already
offered you."

"But they won't do. If I have to go smash, I may as well go smash for
a large sum as a small one. To clear myself of debts I must have five
hundred pounds."

"Well, you'll get six hundred; you'll receive a thousand and you'll
give me back four hundred."

"Yes, but I did not tell you that I have sold a small share in the
paper to an old schoolfellow of mine. When I have paid him I shall
have only two hundred, and that won't be of the slightest use to me."

"Oh, you have sold part of the paper already, have you? How do you
know your friend will consent to be bought out? That complicates
matters."

"My friend only did it to oblige me; he is only too anxious to be
bought out. He is in a fearful funk lest he should be compromised in
a libel action."

"Oh, then I think it can be managed. Were I in your place I should
try and get rid of him for nothing. I can't offer you better terms;
it wouldn't pay me to do so; I might as we