The £1,000,000 bank-note, and other new stories

A young American clerk, freshly washed ashore in fog‑laden London with only a single dollar to his name, finds himself thrust into a bewildering situation when a pair of aristocratic brothers invite him into their lavish drawing‑room. Their genteel hospitality masks a strange experiment: the brothers have acquired a long‑dormant £1,000,000 bank‑note and are betting on whether a stranger can survive thirty days with it without attracting the law’s attention.

What follows is a witty, fast‑moving tale of street‑wise ingenuity and social satire as the protagonist navigates the city’s bustling markets, shabby inns, and the ever‑watchful eyes of bankers and constables. Along the way he encounters a parade of characters—honest yet naïve, clever yet corrupt—each reflecting the peculiar values of Victorian England. The story balances humor with a subtle critique of wealth, reputation, and the absurdities of human nature.