incomparable brevities often more interesting than those evolved by the
thirteen or more dialects of my own Naples. Even at our first breakfast
I began to catch lucid glimpses of the intention in many of his almost
incomprehensible statements. I was able, even, to penetrate his meaning
when he said that although he was "strong for aged parent," he himself
had suffered much anguish from overwork of the "earnest youth racquette"
in his late travels, and now desired to "create considerable trouble for
Paris."

Naturally, I did not wish to begin by antagonizing my pupil--an
estrangement at the commencement would only lead to his deceiving me, or
a continued quarrel, in which case I should be of no service to my
kind patron, so that after a strained interval I considered it best to
surrender.

We went to Longchamps.

That was my first mistake; the second was to yield to him concerning
the latter part of his programme; but opposition to Mr. Poor, Jr. had
a curious effect of inutility. He had not in the least the air of
obstinacy,--nothing could have been less like rudeness; he neither
frowned not smiled; no, he did not seem even to be insisting; on
the contrary, never have I beheld a milder countenance, nor heard a
pleasanter voice; yet the young man was so completely baffling in his
mysterious way that I considered him unique to my experience.

Thus, when I urged him not to place large wagers in the pesage, his
whispered reply was strange and simple--"Watch me!" This he conclusively
said as he deposited another thousand-franc note, which, within a few
moments, accrued to the French government.

Longchamps was but the beginning of a series of days and nights
which wore upon my constitution--not indeed with the intensity of
mortification which my former conspicuosity had engendered, yet my
sorrows were stringent. It is true that I had been, since the age of
seventeen, no stranger to the gaieties and dissipations afforded by the
capitals of Europe; I may say I had exhausted these, yet always with
some degree of quiet, including intervals of repose. I was tired of all
the great foolishnesses of youth, and had thought myself done with them.
Now I found myself plunged into more uproarious waters than I had ever
known I, who had hoped to begin a life of usefulness and peace, was
forced to dwell in the midst of a riot, pursuing my extraordinary
charge.

There is no need that I should describe those days and nights. They
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