btaining belief to
some assertion of preternatural abstinence and virtue.

RANDAL.--"Is it possible? But with such self-conquest, how is it
that you cannot contrive to live within the bounds of a very liberal
allowance?"

FRANK (despondingly).--"Why, when a man once gets his head under water,
it is so hard to float back again on the surface. You see, I attribute
all my embarrassments to that first concealment of my debts from my
father, when they could have been so easily met, and when he came up to
town so kindly."

"I am sorry, then, that I gave you that advice."

"Oh, you meant it so kindly, I don't reproach you; it was all my own
fault."

"Why, indeed, I did urge you to pay off that moiety of your debts left
unpaid, with your allowance. Had you done so, all had been well."

"Yes; but poor Borrowell got into such a scrape at Goodwood, I could
not resist him; a debt of honour,--that must be paid; so when I signed
another bill for him, he could not pay it, poor fellow! Really he would
have shot himself, if I had not renewed it. And now it is swelled to
such an amount with that cursed interest, that he never can pay it;
and one bill, of course, begets another,--and to be renewed every three
months; 't is the devil and all! So little as I ever got for all I have
borrowed," added Frank, with a kind of rueful amaze. "Not L1,500 ready
money; and the interest would cost me almost as much yearly,--if I had
it." "Only L1,500!"

"Well; besides seven large chests of the worst cigars you ever smoked,
three pipes of wine that no one would drink, and a great bear that had
been imported from Greenland for the sake of its grease."

"That should, at least, have saved you a bill with your hairdresser."

"I paid his bill with it," said Frank, "and very good-natured he was to
take the monster off my hands,--it had already hugged two soldiers and
one groom into the shape of a flounder. I tell you what," resumed Frank,
after a short pause, "I have a great mind even now to tell my father
honestly all my embarrassments."

RANDAL (solemnly).--"Hum!"

FRANK.--"What? don't you think it would be the best way? I never
can save enough,--never can pay off what I owe; and it rolls like a
snowball."

RANDAL.--"Judging by the squire's talk, I think that with the first
sight of your affairs you would forfeit his favour forever; and your
mother would be so shocked, especially after supposing that the sum I
brought you so lately sufficed