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profit placed on the creditor side at their bankers. Now where was the use, at his time of life, of subjecting himself to long and fatiguing journeys, when he had such an acute and efficient representative? Certainly not; therefore Gideon contented himself with staying at home, watching the markets, and hearing the good accounts which the irredoubtable James from time to time carried down to this country seat.

When Inglis returned from town the elder part of the firm was most impatient to hear of the lucky hits which the former had made, and these inquiries were perseveringly asked, not unfrequently before even Letitia could have a few affectionate words with her

newly-arrived spouse. But Jemmy was a loquacious man, and he soon detailed a mass of particulars which he well knew would fall like honeyed drops on his father's tympanum. Letitia only detested this new line of life, and really deemed it anything but what a comparatively newly-wedded wife ought to expect. She essayed to bring about some alteration by giving, from time to time, cur

tain lectures, and as a wind-up to these tried the additional effect of tears. But her affianced's rejoinders were ever based on affection, and his reasonings made it appear that all this self-sacrifice on his part was chiefly for her good, and those whom they might have to look up to them for support. He declared that nothing was more averse to his feelings than being obliged to leave her so often, but he then observed it was the old man's peculiar wish, and it was as well to gratify it, seeing that, in the common course of things, his earthly existence could not be long. Yes, Jemmy averred that he had much rather stay at home in the calm enjoyment of her delightful society-and simpleminded Letitia believed him!

CHAPTER XI.

"Sweet Sir Fopling! you have so much wit!" POPE'S SATIRES OF DONNE (SAT. IV).

A COLD, raw spring morning in London, is as disagreeable as a cold, raw spring morning in any other part of the kingdom; and well may foreigners exclaim against the damp, miserable days-the dirt, drizzle, and uncom fortableness so often to be encountered in the metropolis of the world. It hath, and not without a certain amount of truthfulness, been observed, that the sombre, unsmiling, grumbling, matter-of-fact character of John Bull is not a little the result of his geographic position, and that a gloomy, often unpropitious climate, has the effect of stirring up the

bile in his blood, and goading him on to exertion and enterprise, whilst the children of more genial and sunnier lands are busy with their pastimes and pleasures, and if less ambitious and less mighty, are perhaps not less contented and happy.

Well, it was during one of these mornings in question, that Inglis with stately step marched into his club, walked up to the blazing sea-coal fire, reviewed his physiognomy in the mirror, bristled up his hair, rubbed his hands, and then augustly called for a mutton cutlet, tomata sauce, and a pint of sherry. He felt cold and chilly, not in the best of humours, and his stomach reminded him of that trite truism, that nature abhors a vacuum. With an expedition only to be witnessed in like metropolitan establishments, the refreshment was placed before him precisely at the expiration of twelve minutes from the time of his deliberate issue of the order, and to tell the truth the cutlet was done to a nicety, and the sherry looked as if from Martinez's cobwebby catacombs.

Mr. Inglis threw down the morning paper,

which he had for a few moments been reading, and in good earnest set to work at the demolition of the savoury things before him. Having appeased this natural call for the renovation of his corporeal being, he again threw his eyes over the columns he had viously glanced at, and at the same time squared himself round in more convenient posture to catch the comfortable warmth of the flaming fire.

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In no great length of time a tall and elegantly-dressed man, who at a glance might be four or five and thirty, approximated the table near to which Jemmy had taken his leisurely position. The stranger was attired in such a studied costliness of costume that it was difficult of conception how he could be dressed in a more expensive manner. He unbuttoned a short military cloak, and carelessly threw it over the back of an unoccupied chair, and then became seated. His features, though somewhat strongly lined, were by no means repulsive, but rather inclined to the pleasing, and his neatly-arranged hair, curled whiskers, and methodically turned moustache,

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