When I handed the banknote to him he shouted 'I've won!'. He slapped Abel on the back. 'Now what do you say, brother?'

Abel replied 'I say he did survive, and I've lost twenty thousand pounds. I never would have believed it.'

'I've a further report to make,' I said, 'and a pretty long one. I want to visit you soon, and tell you the story of the whole month. I promise you it's worth hearing about.'

'Meantime, take a look at this. It is a bank account with £200,000 in it. The money is mine. I earned it by thirty days' judicious use of that banknote you let me borrow. And the only use I made of it was to buy trifles.'.'

But now it was Portia's turn to be surprised. Her eyes were spread wide.

She said 'Henry, is that really your money? Have you been fibbing to me?'.

'I have, indeed, dearie. But you'll forgive me, I know.'

She pouted, and pretended to look serious. She said 'Don't you be so sure. You are a naughty thing to deceive me so!'