His time was about up at Laverick Wells
when Mr. Sponge arrived there; nevertheless, during the few days that
remained to them, Mr. Jawleyford contrived to scrape a pretty intimate
acquaintance with a gentleman whose wealth was reported to equal, if it did
not exceed, that of Mr. Waffles himself. The following was the closing
scene between them:
[Illustration: Jawleyford of Jawleyford Court]
'Mr. Sponge,' said he, getting our hero by both hands in Culeyford's
Billiard Room, and shaking them as though he could not bear the idea of
separation; 'my dear Mr. Sponge,' added he, 'I grieve to say we're going
to-morrow; I had hoped to have stayed a little longer, and to have enjoyed
the pleasure of your most agreeable society.' (This was true; he would have
stayed, only his banker wouldn't let him have any more money.) 'But,
however, I won't say adieu,' continued he; 'no, I _won't_ say adieu! I
live, as you perhaps know, in one of the best hunting countries in
England--my Lord Scamperdale's--Scamperdale and I are like brothers; I can
do whatever I like with him--he has, I may say, the finest pack of hounds
in the world; his huntsman.
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