edious, I could not adequately set before the reader's eye the
speaker's pleasing picture of world-wide commercial love and harmony
which was to be produced by a railway from Salt Lake City to Vera
Cruz, nor explain the extent of gratitude from the world at large
which might be claimed by, and would finally be accorded to, the great
firms of Melmotte & Co, of London, and Fisker, Montague, and Montague
of San Francisco. Mr Fisker's arms were waved gracefully about. His
head was turned now this way and now that, but never towards his
plate. It was very well done. But there was more faith in one
ponderous word from Mr Melmotte's mouth than in all the American's
oratory.

There was not one of them then present who had not after some fashion
been given to understand that his fortune was to be made, not by the
construction of the railway, but by the floating of the railway
shares. They had all whispered to each other their convictions on this
head. Even Montague did not beguile himself into an idea that he was
really a director in a company to be employed in the making and
working of a railway. People out of doors were to be advertised into
buying shares, and they who were so to say indoors were to have the
privilege of manufacturing the shares thus to be sold. That was to be
their work, and they all knew it. But now, as there were eight of them
collected together, they talked of humanity at large and of the coming
harmony of nations.

After the first cigar, Melmotte withdrew, and Lord Alfred went with
him. Lord Alfred would have liked to remain, being a man who enjoyed
tobacco and soda-and-brandy,--but momentous days had come upon him, and
he thought well to cling to his Melmotte. Mr Samuel Cohenlupe also
went, not having taken a very distinguished part in the entertainment.
Then the young men were left alone, and it was soon proposed that they
should adjourn to the cardroom. It had been rather hoped that Fisker
would go with the elders. Nidderdale, who did not understand much
about the races of mankind, had his doubts whether the American
gentleman might not be a 'Heathen Chinee,' such as he had read of in
poetry. But Mr Fisker liked to have his amusement as well as did the
others, and went up resolutely into the cardroom. Here they were
joined by Lord Grasslough, and were very quickly at work, having
chosen loo as their game. Mr Fisker made an allusion to poker as a
desirable pastime, but Lord Nidderdale, remembering his