born--or ought
to have been one."

Now, do you suppose, acute reader, that Mr. Tag-rag was insincere in all
this? By no means. He spoke the real dictates of his heart, unaware of
the sudden change which had taken place in his feelings. It certainly
has an ugly look of improbability--but it was the _nature of the beast_;
his eye suddenly caught a glimpse of the golden calf, and he
instinctively fell down and worshipped it. "Well--at all events," said
Mr. Gammon, scarcely able to keep a serious expression on his
face--"though he's not lived much like a gentleman hitherto, yet he will
live for the future like a _very great gentleman_--and spend his money
like one, too."

"I--I--dare say--- he will!--I wonder how he _will_ get through a
quarter of it!--what do _you_ think he'll do, sir?"

"Heaven only knows--he may very shortly do just what he likes! Go into
the House of Commons, or--perhaps--have a peerage given him"----

"Lord, sir!--I feel as if I shouldn't be quite right again for the rest
of the day!--I own to you, sir, that all yesterday and to-day I've been
on the point of going to Mr. Titmouse's lodgings to apologize
for--for---- Good gracious me! one can't take it all in at once--Ten
thousand a-year!--Many a lord hasn't got more--some not half as much,
I'll be bound!--Dear me, what will he do!--Well, one thing I'm _sure_
of--he'll never have a truer friend than plain Thomas Tag-rag, though
I've not always been a-flattering him--I respected him too much!--The
many little things I've borne with in Titmouse, that in any one else I'd
have--But why didn't he tell me, sir? We should have understood one
another in a moment."--Here he paused abruptly; for his breath seemed
suddenly taken away, as he reviewed the series of indignities which he
had latterly inflicted on Titmouse--the kind of life which that amiable
young gentleman had led in his establishment.

Never had the keen Gammon enjoyed anything more exquisitely than the
scene which I have been describing. To a man of his practical sagacity
in the affairs of life, and knowledge of human nature, nothing could
appear more ludicrously contemptible than the conduct of poor Tag-rag.
How differently are the minds of men constituted! How Gammon despised
Tag-rag! And what opinion has the acute reader by this time formed of
Gammon?

"_Now_, may I take for granted, Mr. Tag-rag, that we understand each
other?" inquired Gammon.

"Yes, sir," replied Tag-rag, meekly. "But