carried off all that capital which had accumulated
from the savings of the young gentlemen whom Dolly Poole had contributed
to his exchequer. Poole himself is beset by duns, and pathetically
observes "that he has lost three stone in weight, and that he believes
the calves to his legs are gone to enlarge his liver."

Jasper is compelled to put down his cabriolet, to discharge his groom,
to retire from his fashionable lodgings; and just when the prospect
even of a dinner becomes dim, he bethinks himself of Arabella Crane, and
remembers that she promised him L5, nay L10, which are still due from
her. He calls; he is received like the prodigal son. Nay, to his own
surprise, he finds Mrs. Crane has made her house much more inviting:
the drawing-rooms are cleaned up; the addition of a few easy articles of
furniture gives them quite a comfortable air. She herself has improved
in costume, though her favourite colour still remains iron gray. She
informs Jasper that she fully expected him; that these preparations are
in his honour; that she has engaged a very good cook; that she hopes
he will dine with her when not better engaged; in short, lets him feel
himself at home in Podden Place.

Jasper at first suspected a sinister design, under civilities that his
conscience told him were unmerited,--a design to entrap him into that
matrimonial alliance which he had so ungallantly scouted, and from
which he still recoiled with an abhorrence which man is not justified in
feeling for any connubial partner less preternaturally terrific than the
Witch of Endor or the Bleeding Nun!

But Mrs. Crane quickly and candidly hastened to dispel his ungenerous
apprehensions. She had given up, she said, all ideas so preposterous;
love and wedlock were equally out of her mind. But ill as he had
behaved to her, she could not but feel a sincere regard for him,--a deep
interest in his fate. He ought still to make a brilliant marriage: did
that idea not occur to him? She might help him there with her woman's
wit. "In short," said Mrs. Crane, pinching her lips, "In short, Jasper,
I feel for you as a mother. Look on me as such!"

The pure and affectionate notion wonderfully tickled and egregiously
delighted Jasper Losely. "Look on you as a mother! I will," said he,
with emphasis. "Best of creatures!" And though in his own mind he had
not a doubt that she still adored him (not as a mother), he believed
it was a disinterested, devoted adoration, such as th