"I want to play," Henry declared around a mouthful of cigar. He reclined in a nearby leather chair, legs crossed at the knees, with a glass of punch resting precariously atop his slightly protruding stomach. He reached up to take the cigar out of his mouth and blow several smoke rings. Only after he replaced it did he speak, his voice still sightly garbled by the intrusion. "It would be a shame if we forgot and then had to do all of the cake and merriment again."