any advantage to me, why don't you
tell me without all this preamble?" When I pronounced these words
with some vehemence, Strap looked at me for same time with a grave
countenance, and then went on: "I'm very sorry to see such an alteration
in your temper of late; you were always fiery, but now you are grown
as crabbed as old Periwinkle the drunken tinker, on whom you and I (God
forgive us!) played so many unlucky tricks while we were at school--but
I will no longer detain you in suspense, because (doubtless) nothing
is more uneasy than doubt--Dubio procul dubio nil dubius. My friend or
relation, or which you will, or both, the schoolmaster, being informed
of the regard I have for you; for you may be sure I did not fail to let
him know of your good qualities--by the bye, he has undertaken to teach
you the pronunciation of the English tongue, without which, he says, you
will be unfit for business in this country--I say my relation has spoke
in your behalf to a French apothecary who wants a journeyman; and on
his recommendation you may have fifteen pounds a year, bed and board,
whenever you please." I was too much interested in this piece of news
to entertain it with indifference; but, jumping up, insisted on Strap's
immediately accompanying me to the house of his friend, that I might not
lose this opportunity through the least delay or neglect on my part.

We were informed, that the schoolmaster was in company at a publichouse
in the neighbourhood, whither we repaired, and found him drinking with
the very individual apothecary in question. When he was called to the
door at our desire, and observed my impatience, he broke out into his
usual term of admiration. "Oh! I suppose, when you heard of this offer,
you did not take leisure enough to come downstairs, but leaped out of
the window: did you overturn no porter nor oyster-woman in your way? It
was a mercy of God you did not knock your brains out against some post
in your career. Oh, my conscience! I believe, had I been in the inmost
recesses of my habitation--the very penetralia--your eagerness would
have surmounted bolts, bars, decency, and everything. The den of Cacus,
or sanctum sanctorum, could not have hid me from you. But come along
the gentleman of whom I spoke is in the house; I will present you to
him forthwith." When I entered the room, I perceived four or five people
smoking, one of whom the schoolmaster accosted thus: "Mr. Lavement,
here's the young man of wh