“Now, Langly,” he said, “you mustn’t mind my coming in this unceremonious way, because I’m here to beg a great favour of you. I’m the most dependent man on my friends that there is in all London--I am, for a fact. It seems to me I spend all my time getting other fellows to do things for me, and they do them too, by Jove! in the most kindly way. This is a very accommodating, indulgent world, don’t you know. Now you just lie down again--I see I’ve disturbed you--I’m always disturbing somebody--and let me talk to you like a favourite uncle. I’m going to be married, Langly!--what do you think of that? And I’ll bet you a sixpence you can’t tell where.” Langly, who still sat on the edge of his bed, ignoring Barney’s command, smiled wanly and shook his head. “I knew you couldn’t. Well, the ceremony is to be performed with great _éclat_, as the papers say, at St. Martyrs-in-the-East. First time old St. Marts has ever seen a fashionable wedding, I venture to say. I have just been to see the vicar, arranging all the details. What a nice old man he is!--and I say, Langly, you ought to have heard him praise you and your music! It’s very pleasing to be appreciated,--I like it myself.” Langly, in spite of his pallour, actually blushed at this, but said nothing. “Now, that brings us to the music on the wedding-day--and that’s why I’m here. You will play the organ, of course.” “I shall do my best,” murmured Langly. “There is nothing better than that. But here is what I want, and I know it’s a great favour I’m asking. I want you to compose a wedding march for us. I’ll have it published afterwards, and I know, when you see the bride, you won’t need any begging from me to get you to dedicate it to her.” “I’m afraid----” began the organist. “Oh, no, you’re not,” interrupted Barney. “You are such a modest fellow, Langly, I knew you’d be full of excuses; but I’m not going to let you off. I’ve set my heart on having a special wedding march. Any pair of fools can be married to Mendelssohn, don’t you know; but we want something all our own. It isn’t as if a fellow were married every day, you know.” “I was going to say that I feel hardly equal----I don’t think I could do justice----but there is a march I composed about a year ago--it has never been played or heard by any one but myself. If you liked it----” “Of course I’ll like it. That will be the very thing.” “I would compose one for you, but I am sure I could do nothing so good as that, and I want to give you my best.” “I’m sure you do. So that’s all settled. Now, Langly, here comes the uncle talk. I told you I was going to talk to you like an uncle, you know. You must get out of this hole, and you must get out now. It’s enough to kill the strongest man to stay in this place. I’ve got a hansom waiting in the street; so come with me and we will look up a decent pair of rooms with a motherly old woman to look after you.” Langly was plainly embarrassed. At last he stammered: