o time the second gaze of the passenger, and forced
on him the impression, simple as was the dress, and unpretending as was
the gait of the stranger, that in indulging that second gaze, he was in
all probability satisfying the curiosity which makes us love to fix our
regard upon any remarkable man.

At length Aram turned from the more crowded streets, and in a short
time paused before one of the most princely houses in London. It was
surrounded by a spacious court-yard, and over the porch, the arms of the
owner, with the coronet and supporters, were raised in stone.

"Is Lord--within?" asked Aram of the bluff porter who appeared at the
gate.

"My Lord is at dinner," replied the porter, thinking the answer quite
sufficient, and about to reclose the gate upon the unseasonable visitor.

"I am glad to find he is at home," rejoined Aram, gliding past the
servant, with an air of quiet and unconscious command, and passing the
court-yard to the main building.

At the door of the house, to which you ascended by a flight of stone
steps, the valet of the nobleman--the only nobleman introduced in our
tale, and consequently the same whom we have presented to our reader in
the earlier part of this work, happened to be lounging and enjoying the
smoke of the evening air. High-bred, prudent, and sagacious, Lord--knew
well how often great men, especially in public life, obtain odium
for the rudeness of their domestics, and all those, especially about
himself, had been consequently tutored into the habits of universal
courtesy and deference, to the lowest stranger, as well as to the
highest guest. And trifling as this may seem, it was an act of morality
as well as of prudence. Few can guess what pain may be saved to poor
and proud men of merit by a similar precaution. The valet, therefore,
replied to Aram's inquiry with great politeness; he recollected the name
and repute of Aram, and as the Earl, taking delight in the company of
men of letters, was generally easy of access to all such--the great
man's great man instantly conducted the Student to the Earl's library,
and informing him that his Lordship had not yet left the dining-room,
where he was entertaining a large party, assured him that he should be
informed of Aram's visit the moment he did so.

Lord--was still in office: sundry boxes were scattered on the
floor; papers, that seemed countless, lay strewed over the immense
library-table; but here and there were books of a more