pardoned--this brandy and water are so beautifully
blended, that I cannot help thinking there is something in that sweet
hand of yours that diffuses a delicious flavor upon it--I know that such
things exist.'

"'Upon my word, Mr. M'Slime, from such a religious gentleman as you are,
I didn't expect--'

"'Ah, my dear Eliza, that is coming to the root of the matter, and I
am glad to find that you are not insensible to it. On that subject, my
sweet girl, and you are a sweet girl--it is that I propose to speak
with you--to commune with you--in a spirit, my dear Eliza, of love and
affection. Will you then take a seat--a seat, my dear Eliza.'

"'I fear I cannot, sir; you know there is no one else to keep an eye to
the bar.'

"'The business of the bar, my dear girl, is over for this night; but
not, I trust--sincerely trust--that of the sweet barmaid; do sit, Eliza,
pray be seated, and let me have a word with you in season; thank you,
but not at such a distance, Eliza, such an inconvenient distance; I say
inconvenient--because--ugh, ugh, I have caught a slight cold--as a trial
it came--and I will receive it so, that has fallen for the time--ugh,
ugh, ugh--upon my lungs, and renders it a good deal troublesome to me
to speak loud; so that the nearer you sit--and it has affected my head
a little, only with a slight deafness, though, which--were you speaking,
my dear?'

"'No, sir.'

"'Yes, so I thought, you were saying something--will soon pass away.'

"I thought this dialogue, on the part of M'Slime, too characteristic
to be lost. I accordingly stole somewhat near the snuggery, until I got
into a position from whence I could see them clearly, without being seen
myself. It was quite evident from the humor, which, in spite of a demure
face glinted from her eye, that Eliza's object was to occasion M'Slime
to assume his real character, for I could easily see that from time to
time she felt very considerable difficulty in suppressing her laughter.

"'The deafness, Eliza, I feel particularly troublesome, though not
painful; as while transacting business it f-forces me to sit so, very
close to my clients.'

"'But I am not a client, Mr. M'Slime, and you need not draw your chair
so close to me--there now, that will do.'

"'You are my sweet--sweet girl; you are my client--and you shall be my
client--and upon a most important subject--the most important of all;
verily, Eliza, this is a most delicious cup of refreshment. How did
y