supposed that he was able to throw off his passion
for Maryanne Brown without a great inward struggle. Up to that
moment, in which he found Brisket in Mr. Brown's room, and, as he
stood for a moment on the landing-place, heard that inquiry made as
to the use of his name, he had believed that Maryanne would at last
be true to him. Poppins, indeed, had hinted his suspicions, but in
the way of prophecy Poppins was a Cassandra. Poppins saw a good deal
with those twinkling eyes of his, but Robinson did not trust to the
wisdom of Poppins. Up to that hour he had believed in Maryanne, and
then in the short flash of an instant the truth had come upon him.
She had again promised herself to Brisket, if Brisket would only
take her. Let Brisket have her if he would. A minute's thought was
sufficient to bring him to this resolve. But hours of scorching
torment must be endured ere he could again enjoy the calm working of
a sound mind in a sound body.

It has been told how in the ecstasy of his misery he poured out the
sorrows of his bleeding heart before his brethren at the debating
club. They, with that ready sympathy which they always evince for
the success or failure of any celebrated brother, at once adjourned
themselves; and Robinson walked out, followed at a distance by the
faithful Poppins.

"George, old fellow!" said the latter, touching his friend on the
shoulder, at the corner of Bridge Street.

"Leave me!" exclaimed Robinson. "Do not pry into sorrows which you
cannot understand. I would be alone with myself this night."

"You'd be better if you'd come to the 'Mitre,' and smoke a pipe,"
said Poppins.

"Pipe me no pipes," said Robinson.

"Oh, come. You'd better quit that, and take it easy. After all, isn't
it better so, than you should find her out when it was too late?
There's many would be glad to have your chance."

"Man!" shouted Robinson, and as he did so he turned round upon his
friend and seized him by the collar of his coat. "I loved that woman.
Forty thousand Poppinses could not, with all their quantity of love,
make up my sum."

"Very likely not," said Poppins.

"Would'st thou drink up Esil? Would'st thou eat a crocodile?"

"Heaven forbid," said Poppins.

"I'll do it. And if thou prate of mountains--"

"But I didn't."

"No, Poppins, no. That's true. Though I should be Hamlet, yet art not
thou Laertes. But Poppins, thou art Horatio."

"I'm Thomas Poppins, old fellow; and I mean to stick to you til