A DEALER in the marvellous was a constant frequenter of a house in
Lambeth-walk, where he never failed to entertain the company with his
miraculous tales. A bet was laid, that he would be surpassed by a
certain actor, who, telling the following story, the palm was not only
given to him by the company, but the story teller, ashamed, deserted the
house:
"Gentlemen," said the actor, "when I was a lad, at sea, as we lay in the
Bay of Messina, in a moonlight night, and perfectly calm, I heard a
little splashing, and looking over the ship's bow, I saw, as I thought,
a man's head, and to my utter surprise, there arose out of the water a
man, extremely well-dressed, with his hair highly powdered, white silk
stockings, and diamond buckles, his garment being embroidered with the
most brilliant scales. He walked up the cable with the ease and
elegance of a Richer. Stepping on deck, he addressed me in English,
thus: 'Pray, young man, is the captain on board?' I, with my hair
standing on end, answered, 'Yes, sir.' At this moment, the captain,
overhearing our conversation, came on deck, and received the visitor
very courteously, and without any apparent surprise. Asking his
commands, the stranger said, 'I am one of the submarine inhabitants of
this neighborhood. I had, this evening, taken my family to a ball, but
on returning to my house, I found the fluke of your anchor jammed so
close up to my street door, that we could not get in. I am come
therefore, to entreat you, sir, to weigh anchor, so that we may get in,
as my wife and daughters are waiting in their carriage, in the street.'
The captain readily granted the request of his aquatic visitor, who took
his leave with much urbanity, and the captain returned to bed."