o let
me close the curtain of my room and my chapter together, and say, adieu
for a season.

CHAPTER XVIb.

[Note: There are two Chapter XVIs. In the table of contents, this one
has an asterisk but no explanation.]

THE WAGER.

It might have been about six weeks after the events detailed in my last
chapter had occurred, that Curzon broke suddenly into my room one morning
before I had risen, and throwing a precautionary glance around, as if to
assure himself that we were alone, seized my hand with a most unusual
earnestness, and, steadfastly looking at me, said--

"Harry Lorrequer, will you stand by me?"

So sudden and unexpected was his appearance at the moment, that I really
felt but half awake, and kept puzzling myself for an explanation of the
scene, rather than thinking of a reply to his question; perceiving which,
and auguring but badly from my silence, he continued--

"Am I then, really deceived in what I believed to be an old and tried
friend?"

"Why, what the devil's the matter?" I cried out. "If you are in a
scrape, why of course you know I'm your man; but, still, it's only fair
to let one know something of the matter in the meanwhile."

"In a scrape!" said he, with a long-drawn sigh, intended to beat the
whole Minerva press in its romantic cadence.

"Well, but get on a bit," said I, rather impatiently; "who is the fellow
you've got the row with? Not one of ours, I trust?"

"Ah, my dear Hal," said he, in the same melting tone as before--"How your
imagination does run upon rows, and broils, and duelling rencontres,"
(he, the speaker, be it known to the reader, was the fire-eater of the
regiment,) "as if life had nothing better to offer than the excitement of
a challenge, or the mock heroism of a meeting."

As he made a dead pause here, after which he showed no disposition to
continue, I merely added--

"Well, at this rate of proceeding we shall get at the matter in hand, on
our way out to Corfu, for I hear we are the next regiment for the
Mediterranean."

The observation seemed to have some effect in rousing him from his
lethargy, and he added--

"If you only knew the nature of the attachment, and how completely all my
future hopes are concerned upon the issue--"

"Ho!" said I, "so it's a money affair, is it? and is it old Watson has
issued the writ? I'll bet a hundred."

"Well, upon my soul, Lorrequer," said he, jumping from his chair, and
speaking with more energy than he had