he like, then?" asked Lawless.

"Oh, he's very well to look at, only he's as tall as a life-guardsman;
but he's sich a free and easy chap, and ain't he got a pretty good
notion of making himself comfortable, too!--that's all. But come in,
gents, you'll soon see what I mean. He chucked the flyman who brought
him here half a guinea, and when I asked him if he did not want the
change, for the fare was only half a crown, he merely said 'Pooh!' and
told me not to talk, for it tired him."

With our feelings of curiosity somewhat excited by this account we
hastened into the pupils' room, anxious to behold the individual who had
so greatly astonished Thomas.

Seated in Dr. Mildman's arm-chair, and with his legs resting upon two
other chairs, so arranged as to form a temporary sofa, reclined a young
man, apparently about eighteen, though his length of limb, and the
almost herculean proportions of his chest and shoulders, seemed rather
to belong to a more advanced age. He raised his head as we entered,
disclosing a set of features which, in spite of an expression of languor
and indifference, must have been pronounced unusually handsome. His
complexion was a rich nut-brown; the high forehead, white as snow,
contrasting well with the dark hue of his hair, which, in short
clustering curls, harmonised well with the classical outline of his
head, reminding one involuntarily of the young Antinous. The short
curling upper-lip, and well-chiselled nostril, told a tale of pride and
resolution, strongly at variance with the mild sleepy appearance of the
large dark hazel eyes, to which the long silken lashes that shaded them
imparted an almost feminine expression. He did not attempt to alter his
position as we approached, but, merely turning his head, gazed at us
steadfastly for a moment, and then observed in a slow, half-absent
manner:--

"Oh, the other pupils, I suppose--how do you do, all of you?"

Lawless, who was foremost, was so much surprised, and so little pleased
at this nonchalant style of address, that he made no reply, but turning
on his heel proceeded to leave the room, in order to divest himself of
his hunting costume, muttering as he went, "Cool enough that, by Jove,
eh!"

The duty of doing the polite having thus devolved upon Coleman, he
winked at me by way of preliminary, and, ~48~~making a low bow in the
true dancing-master style, replied as follows:--

"Your penetration has not erred, Mr. Oaklands; we _are_ the oth