We had no fear that Sploshington would know that Mydra and its king and
its mouse were as apocryphal as _Mrs. Harris_; but his reply exceeded
our wildest expectations. This is it:--
DEAR SIR,--I am obliged by your letter, and am pleased to inform you
that you have won your bet. The resemblance of the "H" to an "M" is not
accidental, as I had the incident of the Mydra Mouse in my mind when
giving my directions to the artist. It may perhaps be of further
interest to you to know that on every 1st of April it is my intention to
present every working-class family in this parish with three four-pound
loaves, a Dutch cheese, and a gallon of six ale; and every child with a
pink sugar-mouse.
Faithfully yours,