ell; then, what's to be done?"

"I cannot tell," I answered.

The doctor rung the bell.

"Is Robin up yet?" he asked, when Williams came in to answer it.

"He is, sir."

"And the man?"

"Both, sir. They have just done breakfast."

"Very well, Williams, you may go. Now, follow me, Stukely," continued
the physician, the moment that the butler had departed. "I'll do it
now. I am a physiognomist, and I'll tell you in the twinkling of an
eye if we are right, You mark him well, and so will I." The doctor
seized his map and road book, and before I could speak was out of
the room. When I overtook him, he had already reached the idiot, and
dismissed Robin.

My friend commenced his operations by placing the map and book upon
the table, and closely scanning the countenance of his patient, in
order to detect and fix the smallest alteration of expression in the
coming examination. He might have spared himself the trouble. The
idiot had no eye for him. When I appeared he ran to me, and
manifested the most extravagant delight. He grasped my hand, and
drew me to his chair, and there detained me. He did not introduce
his treasure, but I could not fail to perceive that he intended to
repeat the scene of the previous day, as soon as we were again alone.
I did not wish to afford him opportunity, and I gladly complied with
the physician's request when he called upon me to interrogate the
idiot, in the terms he should employ. He had already himself applied
to the youth, but neither for himself nor his questions could he
obtain the slightest notice. The eye, the heart, and, such as it was,
the mind of the idiot, were upon his sister's friend.

"Ask him, Stukely," began the doctor, "if he has ever been in
Somerset?"

I did so, and, in truth, the word roused from their long slumber, or
we believed they did, recollections that argued well for the
physician's theory. The idiot raised his brow, and smiled.

The doctor referred to his map, and said, whispering as before,
"Mention the river Parret."

I could not doubt that the name had been familiar to the unhappy man.
He strove to speak, and could not, but he nodded his head
affirmatively and quickly, and the expression of his features
corroborated the strong testimony.

"Now--_Belton_?" added the doctor.

I repeated the word, and then the agony of supplication which I had
witnessed once before, was re-enacted, and the shrill and incoherent
cries burst from his afflicted breast.