"Matter!" said he. Then he shook his head in grief of heart and vexation of spirit, and resumed his knife and fork. Kate watched it all, and was greatly amused. "I never saw a man so nearly broken-hearted," she said, in her letter to Alice the next day. "Eleven, thirteen, eighteen, twenty-one," said Cheesacre to himself, reckoning up in his misery the number of pounds sterling which he would have to pay for being ill-treated in this way.
"Ladies and gentlemen," said Captain Bellfield, as soon as the eating was over, "if I may be permitted to get upon my legs for two minutes, I am going to propose a toast to you." The real patron of the feast had actually not yet swallowed his last bit of cheese. The thing was indecent in the violence of its injustice.
[Illustration: Captain Bellfield proposes a toast.]

"Matter!" said he. Then he shook his head in grief and vexation.
Kate watched it all, and was greatly amused. "I never saw a man so nearly broken-hearted," she said, in her letter to Alice the next day.
"Ladies and gentlemen," said Captain Bellfield, as soon as the eating was over, "I am going to propose a toast." Mr. Cheesacre had actually not yet swallowed his last bit of cheese. The thing was indecent in its injustice.
