'Try me - oh, I beg you, do please! Just try me for thirty or forty years, and if-.

'Oh, well, all right. You are not asking for much, so take her away.'

Are we happy, we two? There are not enough words in the entire dictionary to describe it. A day or two later, London got the whole story of my month's adventure with that bank-note, and how the adventure ended. Did London talk, and have a good time? Yes.

My Portia's papa took that friendly and hospitable banknote back to the Bank of England and cashed it. Then the Bank cancelled it and give it to him as a present.

Then Portia's papa gave it to us at our wedding. Ever since then it has always hung in its frame in the most important place in our home.

That banknote gave me my Portia. Without it I could not have remained in London, would not have appeared at the ambassador's, and never would have met her.

And so I always say, 'Yes, it's a million-pounder, as you see. But it was only ever used once to buy something, and then got what it purchased for about a tenth part of its value.'

THE END