civilities, and never would he have
come near me more, so long as the tide of fortune bore me smoothly on
its surface; but the painted furniture, the bare walls, the cheerless
solitude of my room relaxed his rigid pride, and I know not what
softening change had taken place both in his voice and look ere he spoke
again.

"You have got another place?"

"No."

"You are in the way of getting one?"

"No."

"That is bad; have you applied to Brown?"

"No, indeed."

"You had better; he often has it in his power to give useful information
in such matters."

"He served me once very well; I have no claim on him, and am not in the
humour to bother him again."

"Oh, if you're bashful, and dread being intrusive, you need only
commission me. I shall see him to-night; I can put in a word."

"I beg you will not, Mr. Hunsden; I am in your debt already; you did me
an important service when I was at X----; got me out of a den where I
was dying: that service I have never repaid, and at present I decline
positively adding another item to the account."

"If the wind sits that way, I'm satisfied. I thought my unexampled
generosity in turning you out of that accursed counting-house would be
duly appreciated some day: 'Cast your bread on the waters, and it
shall be found after many days,' say the Scriptures. Yes, that's right,
lad--make much of me--I'm a nonpareil: there's nothing like me in the
common herd. In the meantime, to put all humbug aside and talk sense for
a few moments, you would be greatly the better of a situation, and what
is more, you are a fool if you refuse to take one from any hand that
offers it."

"Very well, Mr. Hunsden; now you have settled that point, talk of
something else. What news from X----?"

"I have not settled that point, or at least there is another to settle
before we get to X----. Is this Miss Zenobie" (Zoraide, interposed
I)--"well, Zoraide--is she really married to Pelet?"

"I tell you yes--and if you don't believe me, go and ask the cure of St.
Jacques."

"And your heart is broken?"

"I am not aware that it is; it feels all right--beats as usual."

"Then your feelings are less superfine than I took them to be; you must
be a coarse, callous character, to bear such a thwack without staggering
under it."

"Staggering under it? What the deuce is there to stagger under in the
circumstance of a Belgian schoolmistress marrying a French schoolmaster?
The progeny will doubtless be a strange