on a certain day in the year of grace 1920, there came into being a special and very select club. there was no entrance fee and no subscription, in which respect it differed from all other clubs. its membership was limited to six: the actor, the barrister, the doctor, the ordinary man, the soldier, and the writer. and since each in his own particular trade had achieved what the world calls fame, except the ordinary man, who was only ordinary, it was decided that for purposes of convenience they should be entered in the list of members alphabetically according to their trade, and further that they should carry out the only rule of the club in the order of that entry. and the only rule of the club was, that on certain nights, to be mutually agreed on, the member whose turn it was should give to the remaining members an exceedingly good dinner, after which he should tell them a story connected with his own trade, that should be of sufficient interest to keep them awake.

and the only penalty of the club was that if the story was not of sufficient interest to keep the audience awake, the offending member should pay a sum of ten pounds to a deserving charity.

no rule was deemed necessary as to the quality of the dinner: the members had elected themselves with discretion.