e's friend under the impression that all was right, and
that he had only to get an agreement to that effect drawn out, signed
and sealed by the parties.

Next morning, however, he received a letter by the penny-post, written
no doubt in Jack's hand, but obviously dictated by the attorney, in
these terms:--

"Honoured Sir--Lest there should be any misconception between
us as to our yesterday's conversation, I have put into writing
the substance of what was agreed on between us, which I
understand to be this: that there shall be no let or impediment
to the Squire's full and absolute right of naming an usher in
all cases of vacancy; that I shall have an equally full right
to object to the said usher for any reasons that may be
satisfactory to myself, and thereupon to exclude him from the
school; leaving it to the Squire, if he pleases, to send
another, whom I shall have the right of handling in the same
fashion, with this further proviso, that if the Squire does not
fill up the office to my satisfaction within half-a-year, I
shall be entitled to take the appointment into my own hands. I
need hardly add that no Justices of the Peace are to take
cognizance of anything done by me in the matter, be it good,
bad, or indifferent. Hoping that this statement of our mutual
views will be found correct and satisfactory--I remain, your
humble servant,

"JACK."

The moment the Squire's friend perused this missive, he saw plainly that
all hope of bringing Jack to his senses was at an end; and that under
the advice of evil counsellors, lunatic friends, and lewd fellows of the
baser sort, Jack would shortly bring himself and his family to utter
ruin.

And now, as might be expected, Jack's disorder, which had hitherto been
comparatively of the calm and melancholy kind, broke out into the most
violent and phrenetic exhibitions. He sometimes raved incoherently, for
hours together, against the Squire; often, in the midst of his speeches,
he was assailed with epileptic fits, during which he displayed the
strangest contortions and most laughable gestures; he threw entirely
aside the decent coat he had worn for some time back, and habitually
attired himself in the old and threadbare raiment, which he had worn
after he and Martin had been so unceremoniously sent to the right-about
by Lord Peter, and even ran about the streets with his band tied r