NothavingthehappinesstoknowGriggins，webecameextremelydesiroustoseesopleasantafellow，themoreespeciallyasastoutgentlemanwithapowderedhead，whowassittingwithhisbreechesbucklesalmosttouchingthehob，whisperedushewasawitofthefirstwater，whenthedooropened，andMr。Grigginsbeingannounced，presentedhimself，amidstanothershoutoflaughterandaloudclappingofhandsfromtheyoungerbranches。Thiswelcomeheacknowledgedbysundrycontortionsofcountenance，imitativeoftheclowninoneofthenewpantomimes，whichweresoextremelysuccessful，thatonestoutgentlemanrolleduponanottomaninaparoxysmofdelight，protesting，withmanygasps，thatifsomebodydidn’tmakethatfellowGrigginsleaveoff，hewouldbethedeathofhim，heknew。Atthisthecompanyonlylaughedmoreboisterouslythanbefore，andaswealwaysliketoaccommodateourtoneandspiritifpossibletothehumourofanysocietyinwhichwefindourself，welaughedwiththerest，andexclaimed，’Oh！
capital，capital！’asloudasanyofthem。
Whenhehadquiteexhaustedallbeholders，Mr。Grigginsreceivedthewelcomesandcongratulationsofthecircle，andwentthroughtheneedfulintroductionswithmucheaseandmanypuns。Thisceremonyover，heavowedhisintentionofsittinginsomebody’slapunlesstheyoungladiesmaderoomforhimonthesofa，whichbeingdone，afteragreatdealoftitteringandpleasantry，hesqueezedhimselfamongthem，andlikenedhisconditiontothatofloveamongtheroses。Atthisnoveljestweallroaredoncemore。’Youshouldconsideryourselfhighlyhonoured，sir，’saidwe。’Sir，’
repliedMr。Griggins，’youdomeproud。’Hereeverybodylaughedagain;andthestoutgentlemanbythefirewhisperedinourearthatGrigginswasmakingadeadsetatus。
Thetea—thingshavingbeenremoved，weallsatdowntoaroundgame，andhereMr。Grigginsshoneforthwithpeculiarbrilliancy，abstractingotherpeople’sfish，andlookingovertheirhandsinthemostcomicalmanner。Hemadeonemostexcellentjokeinsnuffingacandle，whichwasneithermorenorlessthansettingfiretothehairofapaleyounggentlemanwhosatnexthim，andafterwardsbegginghispardonwithconsiderablehumour。Astheyounggentlemancouldnotseethejokehowever，possiblyinconsequenceofitsbeingonthetopofhisownhead，itdidnotgooffquiteaswellasitmighthavedone;indeed，theyounggentlemanwasheardtomurmursomegeneralreferencesto’impertinence，’anda’rascal，’andtostatethenumberofhislodgingsinanangrytone—aturnoftheconversationwhichmighthavebeenproductiveofslaughterousconsequences，ifayounglady，betrothedtotheyounggentleman，hadnotusedherimmediateinfluencetobringaboutareconciliation:emphaticallydeclaringinanagitatedwhisper，intendedforhispeculiaredificationbutaudibletothewholetable，thatifhewentoninthatway，sheneverwouldthinkofhimotherwisethanasafriend，thoughasthatshemustalwaysregardhim。Atthisterriblethreattheyounggentlemanbecamecalm，andtheyounglady，overcomebytherevulsionoffeeling，instantaneouslyfainted。