ce of death. But I, Sir,
never can have enough air; thorough draught or east wind, it is all the
same to me, so that I do but breathe. Is that like hypochondria?--pshaw!
But tell me, young gentleman, about your uncle; is he quite
well,--stout,--hearty,--does he breathe easily,--no oppression?"

"Sir, he enjoys exceedingly good health: he did please himself with the
hope that I should give him good tidings of yourself, and another of his
old friends whom I accidentally saw yesterday,--Sir Peter Hales."

"Hales, Peter Hales!--ah! a clever little fellow that: how delighted
Lester's good heart will be to hear that little Peter is so
improved;--no longer a dissolute, harum-scarum fellow, throwing away his
money, and always in debt. No, no; a respectable steady character, an
excellent manager, an active member of Parliament, domestic in private
life,--Oh! a very worthy man, Sir, a very worthy man!"

"He seems altered indeed, Sir," said Walter, who was young enough in the
world to be surprised at this eulogy; "but is still agreeable and fond
of anecdote. He told me of his race with you for a thousand guineas."

"Ah, don't talk of those days," said Mr. Courtland, shaking his head
pensively, "it makes me melancholy. Yes, Peter ought to recollect that,
for he has never paid me to this day; affected to treat it as a jest,
and swore he could have beat me if he would. But indeed it was my fault,
Sir; Peter had not then a thousand farthings in the world, and when he
grew rich, he became a steady character, and I did not like to remind
him of our former follies. Aha! can I offer you a pinch of snuff?--You
look feverish, Sir; surely this room must affect you, though you are
too polite to say so. Pray open that door, and then this window, and put
your chair right between the two. You have no notion how refreshing the
draught is."

Walter politely declined the proffered ague, and thinking he had
now made sufficient progress in the acquaintance of this singular
non-hypochondriac to introduce the subject he had most at heart,
hastened to speak of his father.

"I have chanced, Sir," said he, "very unexpectedly upon something that
once belonged to my poor father;" here he showed the whip. "I find from
the saddler of whom I bought it, that the owner was at your house some
twelve or fourteen years ago. I do not know whether you are aware
that our family have heard nothing respecting my father's fate for a
considerably longer time than th