"Try this," said he, and I knew that he was boiling with baffled rage.
I took a handful and once more went through the whole ceremony. It was nauseating, but the man was obviously impressed. At the conclusion of my performance I assumed a look of satisfaction. "Give me five pounds of that," said I with the air of a conqueror.
Next time I met Rottenbury I told him of my success.
"Oh, Jorkins put you up to the trick, did he?"
"He did. He taught me to titillate, to triturate, to masticate, to deglute—everything."
"And with what result?"
"With the result that I have in my possession five pounds of the finest tea that the greatest experts have blended from the combined products of Assam and China."
"Tea?" he asked.
"Yes, tea of course. You didn't suppose that I was talking of oysters?"
"Did I tell you Jorkins was a tea-taster?"