mongst
his associates by dint of perpetually repeating an inane catch-word.
With this, and a stamp of the foot, he will greet a friend who may
meet him before lunch. Amongst his intimates such a welcome is held to
be intensely humorous. He scatters the same sort of stamp and the
identical remark broadcast over the loungers who congregate in front
of HATCHETT's; by these signs and tokens he announces his presence at
a Sporting Restaurant, and to the same accompaniment he sups at the
Camellia, or looks on, in a heavy, sodden sort of way, while others
dance, at the ball of a _demi-mondaine_.

Yet his general ignorance leads him into perpetual pitfalls, and makes
him the butt of those of his associates who are cleverer than himself.
Having on a certain occasion been addressed as Falstaff, in delicate
allusion to his size and capacity for drink, he is easily persuaded
that the original owner of this name was celebrated in history for his
grace and sobriety. He takes much pride in recounting the incident
ever afterwards.

Though the Roysterer is generally fuddled, he is rarely glorious.
Having once driven a tandem, he is credited with a complete knowledge
of horses, which, however, he invariably fails to turn to any
profitable account. He begins his day with whiskey cock-tails,
continues it with a series of brandy-and-sodas, followed by unlimited
magnums of _brut_ Champagne, and concludes it with more Champagne, a
liberal allowance of liqueur brandies, and two or three tumblers of
whiskey-and-seltzer to round off the night. As the hours advance, his
face assumes a ruddier glow. With the progress of years, being
compelled to conceal the increasing girth of his lower chest by the
constant inflation of his upper, he wears frock-coats. The point which
is lacking in his conversation is conspicuous in his boots, whilst his
collars possess an elevation entirely denied to his manners.

He suffers from no restraint in consequence of his marriage. He is
adored by a certain class of burlesque actresses. He flatters them by
adoring himself. He owns a small house in Belgravia, but he frequently
lives elsewhere. No pigeon-shooting matches, and few poker parties,
amongst a certain set, are complete without him. Having benefited only
to a limited extent under the will of his father, he is not generally
reputed to be wealthy, but he is always extravagant. Yet he manages to
steer clear of the painful consequences of writs with some astutene