ddressed, "quite well, thank
you--quite well. Let me give you some of this--oh, it's all gone! We'll
have some more; will one of you be kind enough to ring? My friend,
Lord"----

"No more for me, thank you, sir, I beg," said John. "Have you heard from
Mrs Hodgett since the vacation?"

"No--yes; oh dear, yes, several times!" (It was about five days back.)
"She was quite well, thank you. In town at present, I believe. You were
in town during the vacation, I think, Mr Wartnaby? Did you meet your
uncle Sir Thomas there, or any of the family?"

"Sir T-T-Thom...." began young Wartnaby, who stammered terribly.

"I beg your pardon, sir," struck in John Brown, "are you sure Mrs
Hodgett is in town? I saw her in Nottingham myself on Friday; I made my
first acquaintance with her there, and a very charming old lady she is."

Mr Hodgett's confusion could only be rivaled by Mr Brown's perfect
self-possession. I began to see the object of his kind enquiries; so,
probably, did the victim himself. The other men who were present
thought, I suppose, that it was only an unfortunate attempt of John's to
make himself agreeable; and while some were amused by it, a more
considerate friend kicked my shins in mistake for his, under the table.

"She certainly told me, sir, she should be going up to London in a few
weeks, to purchase her winter stock, I think she said; but I did not
understand that she was to be there now."

John had got on thus far before his enemy could rally at all; but the
dean grew desperate, and resolved to make a diversion at all hazards;
and as he reached his hand out, apparently in quest of a slice of toast,
cup, saucer, and a pile of empty plates, went crashing on the floor.

"Bless me, how very awkward!" said he, with a face as red as fire.

"Never mind, sir," said a freshman from Shrewsbury, just entered who had
not opened his lips before, and thought it a good opportunity; "it's all
for the good of trade."

Never was a stale jest so unconsciously pointed in its application.
Brown laughed of course, and so did we all; while the dean tried to
cover his confusion by wiping his clothes--the cup having been an empty
one. The freshman, seeing our amusement, thought he had said a very good
thing, and began to talk very fast; but nobody listened to him.

"Talking of trade," mercilessly continued the tormentor, "I was
uncommonly pleased with Nottingham the other day. Your brother-in-law,
Mr Mogg, was exceedingly civ