e, I appeared to _recollect_ a series of occurrences,
of which I never had previously heard, and could have known nothing:
"you went to see your sweetheart, Betsy Collyer, at Camberwell, and
took her to a tea-garden, and gave her cakes and cider, and saw
her home again: you mean to do exactly the same thing on Sunday,
and to-morrow you mean to ask me for your quarter's wages, although
not due till Monday, in order to buy her a new shawl."--The man
stood aghast: it was all true. I was quite as much surprised as the
man.--"Sir," said Barton, who had served me for seven years without
having once been found fault with, "I see you think me unworthy your
confidence; you could not have known this, if you had not watched, and
followed, and overheard me and my sweetheart; my character will get
me through the world without being looked after. I can stay with you
no longer; you will please, sir, to provide yourself with another
servant."--"But Barton," said I, "I did not follow or watch you;
I--"--"I beg your pardon, sir," he replied; "it is not for _me_
to contradict; but you'll forgive me, sir, I would rather go; I
_must_ go."

At this moment I was on the very point of easing his mind, and
retaining my faithful servant by a disclosure of my power; but it was
yet too new to be parted with; so I affected an anger I did not feel,
and told him he might go where he pleased. I had, however, ascertained
that the old gentleman had not deceived me in his promises; and,
elated with the possession of my extraordinary faculty, I hurried the
operation of dressing, and before I had concluded it, my ardent friend
Sheringham was announced; he was waiting in the breakfast-room. At
the same moment, a note from the lovely Fanny Haywood was delivered
to me--from the divine girl who, in the midst of all my scientific
abstraction, could "chain my worldly feelings for a moment."
"Sheringham, my dear fellow," said I, as I advanced to welcome him,
"what makes you so early a visiter this morning?"--"An anxiety,"
replied Sheringham, "to tell you that my uncle, whose interest I
endeavoured to procure for you, in regard to the appointment for which
you expressed a desire, has been compelled to recommend a relation of
the marquess; this gives me real pain, but I thought it would be best
to put you out of suspense as soon as possible."--"Major Sheringham,"
said I, drawing myself up coldly, "if this matter concerns you so
deeply as you seem to imply that it d