as given
you a walk at this time of night; but they are rough fellows, and their
orders are to be on the _qui vive_."

My answer was, "That I had been treated civilly; and, as circumstances
had brought it about, I did not so much dislike the adventure after
all."

"Well spoken, young gentleman," was his reply. "Circumstances rule every
thing in this world, and one thing I shall tell you; you might be in
worse hands, even in this country, than in ours. Pray," added he, with a
peculiar look, "how did you leave my friend Mordecai?"

I laughed, and he followed my example. Tossing off a glass of wine and
filling out a bumper for me--

"Well, then," said he, "suppose we drink the Jew's health. I gave you a
rather strange character of him, I think. I called him the perfection of
a rogue; true enough; but still I make a difference between a man who
volunteers roguery; and a man on whom it is thrust by the world.
Circumstances, you see, are my reason for every thing. Make a hard
bargain with Mordecai, and ten to one but you are caught in his trap.
Throw yourself on his mercy; and if the whim takes him, I have known him
as generous as any other."

I replied, that his generosity or craft were now matters of very little
importance to me, for I had determined to return to London by day-break.
He expressed surprise, asked whether I was insensible to the charms of
the fair Mariamne, and recommend my trying to make an impression there,
if desired to have as much stock as would purchase the next loan. Our
further conversation was interrupted by the sound of a gun from seaward,
and we went out together.

The sight was now awful; the tide had risen, and the storm was at its
height. We could scarcely keep our feet, except by clinging to the
rocks. The bursts of wind came almost with the force of cannon shot, and
the men, who now seemed to amount to several hundreds, were seen by the
glare of the lightnings grasping each other in groups along the shore
and the hills, the only mode in which they could save themselves from
being swept away like chaff. The rain had now ceased its continual pour,
but it burst in sharp, short showers, that smote us with the keenness of
hail. The sea, to the horizon, was white with its own dashings, and
every mountain surge that swept to the shore was edged with light--the
whole, one magnificent sheet of phosphor and foam. Yet, awful as all
was, all was so exciting that I actually enjoyed the scene. But th