In the middle of October they came to London to their usual rooms in the Hotel Cecil; and Sir Tancred was one morning at breakfast disagreeably surprised to receive from Mr.Robert Lambert a demand for the immediate payment of 1450 pounds.

At first he thought it was a mistake, then he remembered that he had paid Mr.Lambert in notes; and that Mr.Lambert had promised to get at once from his bank the promissory note on which the money had been borrowed, and send it to him.

The promissory note had not come, and the matter had passed from Sir Tancred's mind.

Now, he perceived that, if Mr.Lambert chose to deny that payment, he was in no little of a plight.
After breakfast, therefore, he took a hansom, and drove to Mr.
Lambert's office.

The worthy money-lender received him at once, and with no less delay began to deny with every appearance of honest indignation that he had been paid the debt.