followed his guides, and, exultant with the influence of
mellow wine, imitated the others, and tried to look and feel at home.
Within a month of Bruce's manipulation this excellent and gifted young
man, this truly gracious light in the youthful band of confessors, was
seated, talking to a fascinating young _danseuse_ who wore a gossamer
dress, behind the scenes of a petty London theatre. Bruce looked on
with a smile, and hummed to himself--

"Jene Tanzerinn
Fliegt, mit leichtem Sinn
Und noch leichtern Kleide
Durch den Saal der Freude
Wie ein Zephyr bin, _etcetera_."

The head of Jedediah Hazlet was somewhat confused, when, after the play
and an oyster supper in the cider cellars, it sank deep into the
reposeful down of a spare chamber in the gay Sir Rollo Bruce's London
house.

The next morning was Sunday. They none of them got up till twelve to a
languid breakfast, and then read novels. Hazlet, who was rather shocked
at this, did indeed faintly suggest going to church. "Oh yes," said
Bruce, looking up with a smile from his Balzac, "we'll do that, or some
other equally harmless amusement." The dinner hour, however, coincided
with the time of evening service, so that it was impossible to go then,
and finally they spent the evening in what they all agreed to call "a
perfectly quiet game at cards."

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

ONE OF THE SIMPLE ONES.

"I tempted his blood and his flesh,
Hid in roses my mesh,
Choicest cates, and the flagon's best spilth."
Robert Browning.

"Faugh," said Bruce, on his return to Camford, "that fellow Hazlet isn't
worth making an experiment upon--_in corpore vili_ truly; but the
creature is so wicked at heart, that even his cherished traditions
crumble at a touch. He's no game; he doesn't even run cunning."

"Then I hope you'll p-p-pay me my p-p-p-ponies," said Fitzurse.

"By no means; only I shall cut things short; he isn't worth playing; I
shall haul him in at once."

Accordingly, Hazlet was invited once more to one of Bruce's parties--
this time to a supper. It was one of the regular, reckless, uproarious
affairs--D'Acres, Boodle, Tulk, Brogten, Fitzurse, were all there, and
the elite of the fast fellow-commoners, and sporting men besides. Bruce
had privately entreated them all not to snub Hazlet, as he wanted to
have some fun. The supper was soon despatched, and the wine circled
plentifully. It was followed by a game of cards, during which the
pun