heir health."

"No, no, no. Tell me whither do they go!"

"No, no, no!--I say yes, yes, yes," roared the intoxicated monster.
"Drink it, you rascal," he added, "or I'll kick you down stairs."

My blood was boiling in a moment. The nigger staggered to me, and
touched the collar of my coat. His hand was scarcely there, before I
took him by the neck, and flung him like a loathsome reptile from me. He
fell at the foot of the table, but in his passage to the ground he
grasped a decanter of wine, which he hurled at my head. It passed me,
met the door, and flew in a thousand pieces about the room. Sick at
heart, I took the opportunity to retire.

Never shall I forget the morning upon which I stood in Grosvenor Square,
knocker in hand, about to present myself before the father of Rupert
Sinclair, and to acquaint him with the disgrace that had come to his
family, by the alliance of the previous day. The feelings of the hour
return with all their painful vividness as I recall the time. A lazy
porter, richly attired, opened the door, and rang a bell in the hall,
which brought to me his lordship's valet. The latter received my card,
and after a quarter of an hour's absence, returned with the information,
that his lordship was particularly busy with the Director of the Opera,
and could not be seen by any one that morning. Every little circumstance
is indelibly imprinted on my memory, stamped there by the peculiar
anxiety under which I laboured. I respectfully submitted that my
business was even more important than that of the Director, and
requested the valet to return with my urgent request to his lordship for
one short interview.

"His lordship doesn't know you," said the valet.

"Not know me!" I exclaimed, forgetting at the moment how little it was
to his lordship's interest to remember me. "There," I exclaimed "take
this card to him." I had written upon it--_Late tutor to the Hon. Rupert
Sinclair._

Another quarter of an hour, and I was admitted. His lordship was
evidently angry at the interruption. My heart was fluttering. He
extended to me one finger, by way of compromise, which I reverently
touched, offered me no seat, but asked me my business.

I began--continued--and ended without the least hinderance on his
lordship's part. I spoke without reserve of my own share in the
unfortunate business, taking particular care, however, not to say one
word to the disparagement of Elinor, or that might unneccessarily excite
Lo