of the newest scandals, might have
done me some professional damage besides bringing unmerited public
laughter upon the heads of two honest gentlemen. As it was, our
leading news-sheet, the _Hotwells Courant_, did not even smoke the
affair, and so lost a nine days' wonder; while the Whig _Examiner_,
after printing an item which threw me into a two days' perspiration,
forbore to follow up the scent--the reason being that Mr. Lemoine,
its editor, was shortly expecting an addition to his family, and,
knowing his nervousness upon these occasions and his singular
confidence in my skill, I was able to engage him by arguments to
which at another time he might have listened less amiably.

I have already related how, on the approach of autumn, I advertised
for an assistant. The young man whom I selected was a Scotsman from
the University of Glasgow, Duncan MacRea by name, and no youth of his
age could have brought better testimonials to ability or character.
Relying upon these, I did not stand out for an interview--his home
lying so far away as Largs, in Ayrshire--but came to terms at once,
and he arrived at my door with his valise at the untimely hour of
five in the morning, the fifteenth of October, having travelled all
the way to Bristol in a ship laden with salted herrings.

I will own that this apparition on my doorstep in the cold
morning light (he had rung the night-bell) surprised me somewhat.
But I remembered the proverbial impetuosity of Scotsmen in pushing
their fortunes, and his personal appearance may have helped to
conciliate me, since my mind had misgiven me that I had done wiser to
insist on an interview, instead of buying a pig in a poke; for looks
no less than knowledge are a physician's _passepartout_ among the
ladies who bring their ailments to our provincial spas. The face
which the lad lifted towards my bedroom window was a remarkably
handsome one, though pallid, and the voice in which he answered my
challenge had a foreign intonation, but musical and in no way
resembling the brogue for which I had been preparing myself.

So delighted was I at this dissipation of my fears that, slipping on
my dressing-gown (I believe without removing my nightcap), and
pausing only on the landing to call up to the maidservants to light a
fire and prepare coffee with all speed, I hurried downstairs and
unbarred the door. Whereupon Master MacRea instantly and with great
cordiality shook me by the hand.

"It is a grea