the churchyard, I met old Shuffler
one day waddling along the Terrace in a state of great excitement.

He told me he was going to an auction, and pressed me to accompany him,
that he might have the benefit of my advice and opinion concerning
certain objects of "bigotry and virtue," as he styled them, which he
designed purchasing--should he be able to get them knocked down cheap.

On asking the reason for such an unwonted outlay on his part, he said
that he was about furnishing a new villa for which he had just found a
tenant.

"A fresh tenant!" said I with surprise, a newcomer in our suburb being
always regarded as a sort of rare bird. "A fresh tenant! Who is he, or
she, or whoever it may be?"

"Well, sir," said Shuffler, "it's a secret as yet; but I don't mind
telling you, Mr Lorton, as I know you won't let it out--Mr Mawley, the
parsun, has took the villa!"

"Mr Mawley!" I exclaimed, with redoubled astonishment. "Why, what on
earth does _he_ want a house for?"

"I believe, sir," said Shuffler, blinking his sound eye furiously the
while, to give a facetious effect to his words, "he's agoin' to get
married. So my missus says at least, sir; and she gen'rally knows wot's
agoin' on. Wemmenfolk finds out them things somehow or other!"

"Mawley going to be married!" I repeated. "Nonsense, Shuffler! it is
probably some mistake. You and your wife must have let your brains run
wool-gathering, and made the story up between you!"

"No, sir," he replied, "it's as true as you are a standin' there. We've
no call to tell a lie about the matter, sir," and he drew himself up
with native dignity.

"And you have really heard it for a fact, Shuffler?"

"I 'ave so, sir; and I could tell you, too, the party as he is agoin' to
join!"

"Can you?" I asked. "Who _is_ the favoured she?"

"Well, sir," said he with a sly wink, screwing up his mouth tightly as
if wild horses would not tear the information from him against his will,
"that would be tellin'?"

"I know it would," said I, "but as you have already told me so much, I
think you might now let me know the lady's name."

"Mr Lorton," he answered, "you know I would do anything for you I
honestly could, for you 'ave been a friend to me many a time, specially
when I got into that row with the tax collector, when you be'aved
'andsome. But to speak to the rights of the matter, I can't say I
_know_ the lady's name wot the parsun is agoin' to marry: I only has my
susp