was mine. But Miss Nelly, I think, Tom--"

"Mr. Basset is well aware," interrupted I, "that I am only desirous to
be free and untrammelled; that whatever little means I may derive from
my family, I 'm willing to surrender all, short of actual beggary, to
attain this object,--that I intend quitting Ireland at once. If, then,
he consent to enter into an arrangement with me, let it be at once,
and on the spot. I have no desire, I have no power, to force him by a
threat, in case of refusal; but I hope he will make so much of amends
to one of whose present desolation and poverty he is not altogether
innocent."

"There, there; that's devilish well said. The whole thing is all clear
before me. So come along, Basset; you and I will settle all this. Have
you got a private room where we can have five minutes' chat together?
Tom, wait for me here."

Before either of us could consent or oppose his arrangement, he had
taken Basset's arm, and led him downstairs; while I, in a flurry of
opposing and conflicting resolves, sat down to think over my fortunes.

Tired at length with waiting, and half suspecting that my volatile
friend had forgotten me and all my concerns, I descended to the parlor
in hopes to hear something of the pending negotiation. At the head of
a long, narrow table sat my fair acquaintance, Miss Nelly, her hair
braided very modestly at each aide of her pretty face, which had now
assumed an almost Quakerish propriety of expression. She was busily
engaged in distributing tea to three pale, red-eyed, emaciated men,
whose spongy-looking, threadbare garments bespoke to be attorney's
clerks, A small imp, a kind of embryo practitioner, knelt before the
fire in the act of toasting bread, but followed with his sharp piercing
eyes every stir in the apartment and seemed to watch with malicious
pleasure the wry faces around, whenever any undue dilution of the bohea,
or any curtailment of the blue milk, pressed heavily on the guests.
These were not exactly the circumstances to renew my acquaintance with
my fair neighbor, had I been so minded; so having declined her offer of
breakfast, I leaned moodily on the chimneypiece, my anxiety to know
my fate becoming each instant more painful. Meanwhile not a word was
spoken,--a sad, moody silence, unbroken save by the sounds of eating,
pervaded all, when suddenly the door of the front parlor was flung open,
and Bubbleton's pleasant voice was heard as he talked away unceasingly;
in an i