Roundabout Papers - Penn State University

ThackerayThe sport must be something akin to the pleasure oftiger or elephant hunting. What ingenuity the sportsmanmust have in tracing his prey—what daring andcaution in coming upon him! What coolness in facingthe angry animal (for, after all, a man on whom youdraw a cheque a bout portant will be angry). What adelicious thrill of triumph, if you can bring him down!If I have money at the banker’s and draw for a portionof it over the counter, that is mere prose—any dolt cando that. But, having no balance, say I drive up in a cab,present a cheque at Coutts’s, and, receiving the amount,drive off? What a glorious morning’s sport that has been!How superior in excitement to the common transactionsof every-day life! … I must tell a story; it is againstmyself, I know, but it will out, and perhaps my mindwill be the easier.More than twenty years ago, in an island remarkablefor its verdure, I met four or five times one of the mostagreeable companions with whom I have passed a night.I heard that evil times had come upon this gentleman;and, overtaking him in a road near my own house oneevening, I asked him to come home to dinner, In twodays, he was at my door again. At breakfast-time wasthis second appearance. He was in a cab (of course hewas in a cab, they always are, these unfortunate, thesecourageous men). To deny myself was absurd. My friendcould see me over the parlor blinds, surrounded by myfamily, and cheerfully partaking of the morning meal.Might he have a word with me? and can you imagine itspurport? By the most provoking delay, his uncle theadmiral not being able to come to town till Friday—would I cash him a cheque? I need not say it would bepaid on Saturday without fail. I tell you that man wentaway with money in his pocket, and I regret to add thathis gallant relative has not come to town yet!Laying down the pen, and sinking back in my chair,here, perhaps, I fall into a five minutes’ reverie, andthink of one, two, three, half a dozen cases in which Ihave been content to accept that sham promissory coinin return for sterling money advanced. Not a reader,whatever his age, but could tell a like story. I vow andbelieve there are men of fifty, who will dine well today,301