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modesty forbids me to reproduce。
Now I am not without some knowledge of the world outside the close
of Marchbury Cathedral； and I could not listen to such a
〃flattering tale〃 without having my suspicions aroused。 Who and
what is this man？ thought I。 I looked at him narrowly。 At first
the thought flashed across me that he might be a 〃swell mobsman。〃
But no； his face was too good for that； besides； no man with that
huge frame； that personality so marked and so easily recognizable；
could be a swindler； he could not escape detection a single hour。
I dismissed the ungenerous thought。 Perhaps he is rich； as he
says。 We do hear of munificent donations by benevolent
millionaires now and then。 What if this Australian； attracted by
the glories of the old cathedral； should now appear as a deus ex
machina to reendow the choir； or to found a musical professoriate
in connection with the choir； appointing me the first occupant of
the professorial chair？
These thoughts flashed across my mind in the momentary pause of his
fluent tongue。
〃As for yourself； sir；〃 he began again； 〃I have something to
propose which I trust may not prove unwelcome。 But the public
street is hardly a suitable place to discuss my proposal。 May I
call upon you this evening at your house in the close？ I know
which it is； for I happened to see you go into it yesterday after
the morning service。〃
〃I shall be very pleased to see you；〃 I replied。 〃We are going out
to dinner this evening； but I shall be at home and disengaged till
about seven。〃
〃Thank you very much。 Then I shall do myself the pleasure of
calling upon you about six o'clock。 Till then； farewell！〃 A
graceful wave of the hand； and my unknown friend had disappeared
round the corner of the street。
Now at last； I thought； something is going to happen in my
uneventful lifesomething to break the monotony of existence。 Of
course； he must have inquired my namehe could get that from any
of the cathedral vergersand； as he said； he had observed
whereabouts in the close I lived。 What is he coming to see me for？
I wondered。 I spent the rest of the afternoon in making the
wildest surmises。 I was castle…building in Spain at a furious
rate。 At one time I imagined that this faithful son of the church
as he appeared to mewas going to build and endow a grand
cathedral in Australia on condition that I should be appointed dean
at a yearly stipend of； say； ten thousand pounds。 Or perhaps； I
said to myself； he will beg me to accept a sum of moneyI never
thought of it as less than a thousand poundsas a slight
recognition of and tribute to my remarkable vocal ability。
I took a long； lonely walk into the country to correct these
ridiculous fancies and to steady my mind； and when I reached home
and had refreshed myself with a quiet cup of afternoon tea； I felt
I was morally and physically prepared for my interview with the
opulent stranger。
Punctually as the cathedral clock struck six there was a ring at
the visitor's bell。 In a moment or two my unknown friend was shown
into the drawing…room； which he entered with the easy air of a man
of the world。 I noticed he was carrying a small black bag。
〃How do you do again； Mr。 Dale？〃 he said as though we were old
acquaintances； 〃you see I have come sharp to my time。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃and I am pleased to see you； do sit down。〃 He
sank into my best armchair； and placed his bag on the floor beside
him。
〃Since we met in the afternoon；〃 he said； 〃I have written a letter
to your dean； expressing the great pleasure I felt in listening to
your choir； and at the same time I inclosed a five…pound note；
which I begged him to divide among the choir boys and men； from
Alexander Poulter； Esq。； of Poulter's Pills。 You have of course
heard of the world…renowned Poulter's Pills。 I am Poulter！〃
Poulter of Poulter's Pills！ My heart sank within me！ A five…pound
note！ My airy castles were tottering！
〃I also sent him a couple of hundred of my pamphlets； which I said
I trusted he would be so kind as to distribute in the close。〃
I was aghast！
〃And now； with regard to the special object of my call； Mr。 Dale。
If you will allow me to say so； you are not making the most of that
grand voice of yours； you are hidden under an ecclesiastical bushel
herelost to the world。 You are wasting your vocal strength and
sweetness on the desert air； so to speak。 Why； if I may hazard a
guess； I don't suppose you make five hundred a year here； at the
outside？
I could say nothing。
〃Well； now； I can put you into the way of making at least three or
four times as much as that。 Listen！ I am Alexander Poulter； of
Poulter's Pills。 I have a proposal to make to you。 The scheme is
bound to succeed； but I want your help。 Accept my proposal and
your fortune's made。 Did you ever hear Moody and Sankey？〃 he asked
abruptly。
The man is an idiot； thought I； he is now fairly carried away with
his particular mania。 Will it last long？ Shall I ring？
〃Novelty； my dear sir；〃 he went on； 〃is the rule of the day； and
there must be novelty in advertising； as in everything else； to
catch the public interest。 So I intend to go on a tour； lecturing
on the merits of Poulter's Pills in all the principal halls of all
the principal towns all over the world。 But I have been delayed in
carrying out my idea till I could associate myself with a gentleman
such as yourself。 Will you join me？ I should be the Moody of the
tour； you would be its Sankey。 I would speak my patter； and you
would intersperse my orations with melodious ballads bearing upon
the virtues of Poulter's Pills。 The ballads are all ready！〃
So saying； he opened that bag and drew forth from its recesses
nothing more alarming than a thick roll of manuscript music。
〃The verses are my own；〃 he said； with a little touch of pride；
〃and as for the music； I thought it better to make use of popular
melodies； so as to enable an audience to join in the chorus。 See；
here is one of the ballads： 'Darling； I am better now。' It
describes the woes of a fond lover； or rather his physical
ailments； until he went through a course of Poulter。 Here's
another： 'I'm ninety…five！ I'm ninety…five！' You catch the drift
of that； of coursea healthy old age； secured by taking Poulter's
Pills。 Ah！ what's this？ 'Little sister's last request。' I fancy
the idea of that is to beg the family never to be without Poulter's
Pills。 Here again： 'Then you'll remember me！' I'm afraid that
title is not original； never mind； the song is。 And here isbut
there are many more； and I won't detain you with them now。〃 He
saw； perhaps； I was getting impatient。 Thank Heaven； however； he
was no escaped lunatic。 I was safe！
〃Mr。 Poulter；〃 said I； 〃I took you this afternoon for a
disinterested and philanthropic millionaire； you take me forfor
something different from what I am。 We have b