"I bought it of a London merchant, who had
ordered it for an English lord." The Chevalier de Grammont, who now
began to perceive in what manner the adventure would end, asked him if
he should recollect the merchant if he saw him again? "Recollect him!"
replied the other, "I surely ought; for I was obliged to sit up drinking
with him all night at Calais, as I was endeavouring to beat down the
price." Termes had vanished out of sight as soon as ever this coat
appeared, though he little supposed that the cursed bridegroom would
have any conversation concerning it with his master.

The Chevalier's thoughts were some time wavering between his inclination
to laugh, and a desire of hanging Master Termes; but the long habit
of suffering himself to be robbed by his domestics, together with the
vigilance of the criminal, whom his master could not reproach with
having slept in his service, inclined him to clemency; and yielding to
the importunities of the country gentleman, in order to confound his
faithful servant, he sat down to table, to make the thirty-seventh of
the company.

A short time after, he desired one of the waiters to call for a
gentleman whose name was Termes. He immediately appeared; and as soon
as the master of the feast saw him, he rose from table, and offering him
his hand; "Welcome, my friend," said he; "you see that I have taken good
care of the coat which you sold me with so much reluctance, and that I
have kept it for a good purpose."

Termes, having put on a face of brass, pretended not to know him, and
pushed him back with some degree of rudeness. "No, no!" said the other;
"since I was obliged to sit up with you the whole night, in order to
strike the bargain, you shall pledge me in the bride's health."
The Chevalier de Grammont, who saw that Termes was disconcerted,
notwithstanding his impudence, said to him with a smile: "Come, come,
my good London merchant, sit down, as you are so civilly invited: we are
not so crowded at table but that there will be room enough for such an
honest gentleman as yourself." At these words five-and-thirty of the
guests were in motion to receive this new visitor: the bride alone, out
of an idea of decorum, remained seated; and the audacious Termes, having
swallowed the first shame of this adventure, began to lay about him at
such a rate, as if it had been his intention to swallow all the wine
provided for the wedding, if his master had not risen from the table as
they w