ement. Do you think I should have behaved so at your age? Do
you think any man in the last generation out of a madhouse would have
done it? Here's your march of education!"

I bowed to Doctor Mayhew, and wished him good-morning.

"No, thank you, sir," answered the physician, "if I didn't mean to
say a little more to you, I shouldn't have spoken so much already. We
must talk these matters over quietly. You may as well stay a few
days with your friend in the country as run off directly to the
gentleman in London. Besides, now I have made my mind up so suddenly
to get married, I don't know soon I may be called upon to undergo
the operation--I beg the lady's pardon--the awful ceremony. I shall
want a bride's-man, and you wouldn't make a bad one by any means."

The physician rang the bell, and Williams the butler--a personage in
black, short and stout, and exceedingly well fed, as his sleek face
showed--entered the apartment.

"Will you see, Williams, that Mr. Stukely's portmanteau is taken to
his room--bed quite aired--sheets all right, eh?"

"Both baked, sir," replied Williams with a deferential but expressive
smile, which became his face remarkably well.

"Then let us have lunch, Williams, and a bottle of _the_ sherry?"

A look accompanied the request, which was not lost upon the butler.
He made a profound obeisance, and retired. At lunch the doctor
continued his theme, and represented my conduct as most blameable
and improper. He insisted that I ought to be severely punished, and
made to feel that a boy is not to indulge every foolish feeling that
rises, just as he thinks proper, but, like an inconsistent judge, he
concluded the whole of a very powerful and angry summing up, by
pronouncing upon me the verdict of an acquittal--inasmuch as he told
me to make myself as comfortable as I could in his house, and to
enjoy myself thoroughly in it for the next fortnight to come, at the
very least. It may have been that, in considering my faults as those
of the degenerate age in which I lived--which age, however, be it
known, lived afterwards to recover its character, and to be held up
as a model of propriety and virtue to the succeeding generation--the
merciful doctor was willing to merge my chastisement in that which
he bestowed daily upon the unfortunate object of his contempt and
pity, or possibly he desired to inflict no punishment at all, but
simply to perform a duty incumbent upon his years and station. Be
this as i