The History of Samuel Titmarsh, and The Great Hoggarty Diamond

ns the last thing in my thoughts. It had come home from Mr. Polonius's, as I said, on Saturday night; and Gus and I happened to be out enjoyin

eller's; and when I took it out,-my, how the diamond d

room of itself," says Gus. "I'

in the "Arabian Nights," as I knew very well.

to go without a candle, and of which the window looked out on a dead wall, I could not see a wink, in spite of the Hoggarty diamond, and was obliged to grope about in the dark for a pincushion which Somebody gave me (I don't mind owning it was Mary S

e my venison dinner and drive with Lady Drum, he thought I was the finest

by the way. However, the diamond had its effect on my entertainers, as we have seen; rather too much perhaps on one of them; and next day I wore it down at the office, as

yellow stone, named a carum-gorum, or some such thing, which he had in a snuff-mull, as he called it,-all except M'Whirter, I say, were delighted with it; and Abed

Tit's diamond is worth at least thirty

l enough to buy a stock that cost me five-and-twenty shillings, at Ludlam's in Piccadilly: for Gus said I must go to the best place, to be sure, and have none of our cheap and common East E

ship with Lady Drum and the Right Honourable Edmund Preston: only Abednego, who told him, said I

ne of the richest men in the City of London, used to receive all the great people of the lan

riage, of a haunch of venison and two baskets of fruit, and the dinner at Roundhand's above described, my diamond had

ip-top sort; and I have heard that Mr. Gunter, of Berkeley Square, supplied the ices, supper, and footmen,-though of the latter Brough kept a plenty, but not enough to serve the host of people who came to him. The party, it must be remembered, was Mrs. Brough's party, not the gentleman's,-he being in the Dissenting way, would scarcely sanction any entertainments of the kind: but he told

had its due effect upon the gents at the office, Abednego, who had been in the directors' room, came to my desk with a great smirk, and said, "Tit, Mr. B. says that he expects you will come down with Roundhand to the ball on Thursday." I thought Moses was joking,-at any rate, that Mr. B.'s message was a queer

nt, taking a place in a cab which Roundhand hired for himself, Gut

the way, and told it in his journal in the most accurate manner; getting an account of the dresses of the great people from their footmen and coachmen, when they came to the alehouse for their porter. As for the names of the guests, they, you may be sure, found their way to the same newspaper: and a great laugh was had at my expense, because among the titles of the great people mentioned my na

gloves bought for the occasion. But my coat was of country make, very high in the waist and short in the sleeves, and I suppose must have looked rather odd to some of the great people assembled, for they stared at

; who, it appears, had not gone out of town, and who shook me most kindly by the hand when she saw

en I have a dance I like to enjoy myself: and Mary Smith often said I was the very best partner at our assemblies. While we were dancing, I told Lady Jane how Roundhand, Gutch, and I, had come down three in a cab, besides the driver; and my account of our adventures made her Ladyship laugh, I warrant you. Luck

my Lord down, driven to Salisbury Square in a great thundering carriage, with flaming lamps and two tall footmen, who nearly knocked the door and the whole little street down with the noise they made at the rapper. You should have seen Gu

t fat curious man, the master of the house? Do you know he asked m

says La

"did not Grandmamma say Mr

Grandmamma's memory

dy Jane," says my Lord; "

t very-not v

ip, the Countess of Drum, said, if you

pported so bravely,

e, for I know all his family: they live in Skinner Street and St.

to laugh; and my Lord

Drum is no more your cousin than she is

a laugh, "it has gained me no small good in my time." So I described to the party our dinner at Mrs. Roundhand's, which all came from my diamond-pin, and my reputation as a connection of the aristocracy. Then I than

quite astonished; "indeed, Mr. Titmarsh,

laughing as usual, and turning her great

rriage I had a seat that day, as Mr. Titmarsh was not in the way), that I intended the haunch for your husband's table. Whereupon my Lady Fanny, clapping together her little hands, declared and vowed that the venison should not go to Preston, but should be sent to a gentleman about whose adventures on the d

!" says L

my chambers in the Albany, extrac

sorry to part with

the City, where the venison was left, in company with a coupl

of my own mouth the letter which he wrote, and pinned up the haunch of venison that his hideous old housekeepe

led ourselves with laughing. The ladies laughed too when I told them this; and good-natured Lady Jane said she would f

About a month after came a card of "Lord and Lady Tiptoff," and a great pi