"No, sir-Mr Quirk only said I was to give it you when you called. B'lieve they sent it to you, but the clerk said he couldn't find your place out; by the way, (excuse me, sir,) but your's is a funny name! How I heard 'em laughing at it, to be sure! What makes people give such queer names? Would you like to read it here, sir?-you're welcome."

"No, thank you, madam-it's of not the least consequence," he replied, with a desperate air; and tossing it with attempted carelessness into his hat, which he put on his head, he very civilly wished her good-night, and departed-very nearly inclined to sickness, or faintness, or something of the sort, which the fresh air might perhaps dispel. He quickly espied a lamp at a corner, which promised to afford him an uninterrupted opportunity of inspecting his letter. He took it out of his hat. It was addressedsimply, "Mr Titmouse, Cocking Court, Oxford Street," (which accounted, perhaps, for the clerk's having been unable to find it ;) and having been opened with trembling eager ness, thus it read:—

"Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap present their compliments to Mr Titmouse, and are anxious to save him the trouble of his intended visit this evening.

"They exceedingly regret that obstacles (which it is to be hoped, however, may not prove ultimately insurmountable) exist in the way of their prosecuting their intended enquiries on behalf of Mr Titmouse.

"Since their last night's interview with him, circumstances which they could not have foreseen, and over which they have no control, have occurred, which render it unnecessary for Mr T. to give himself any more anxiety in the affair-at least, not until he shall have heard from Messrs Q. G. and S.

"If any thing of importance should hereafter transpire, it is not improbable that Mr T. may hear from them.

"They were favoured, this afternoon, with a visit from Mr T.'s friend -Mr Hucklebottom."

"Saffron Hill, Wednesday Evening, 12th July 182-."

When poor Titmouse had finished reading over this vague, frigid, and disheartening note a second time, a convulsive sob or two pierced his bo

som, indicative of its being indeed swollen with sorrow; and at length, overcome by his feelings, he cried bitterly-not checked even by the occasional exclamations of one or two passers-by. He could not at all control himself. He felt as if he could have almost relieved himself, by banging his head against the wall! A tumultuous feeling of mingled grief and despair prevented his thoughts, for a long while, from setting on any one idea or object. At length, when the violence of the storm had somewhat abated, on concluding a third perusal of the death-warrant to all his hopes, which he held in his hand, his eye lit upon the strange word which was intended to describe his friend Huckaback; and it instantly changed both the kind of his feelings, and the direction in which they had been rushing. Grief became rage; and the stream foamed in quite a new direction-namely, towards Huckaback. That fellow he considered to be the sole cause of the direful disaster which had befallen him. He utterly lost sight of one circumstance, that one should have thought might have occurred to his thoughts at such a timeviz. his own offensive and insolent behaviour over-night, to Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap. But so it was: -yes, upon the devoted (but unconscious) head of Huckaback, was to descend the lightning rage of Titlebat Titmouse. The fire that was thus quickly kindled within, soon dried up the source of his tears. crammed the letter into his pocket, and started off at once in the direction of Leicester Square, breathing rage at every step-viresque acquirens eundo. His hands kept convulsively clenching together as he pelted along. Hotter and hotter became his rage as he neared the residence of Huckaback. When he had reached it, he sprung up stairs; knocked at his quondam friend's door; and on the instant of its being doubtless somewhat surprisedlyopened by Huckaback, who was undressing, Titmouse sprung towards him, let fly a goodly number of violent blows upon his face and breast-and down fell Huckaback upon the bed behind him, insensible, and bleeding profusely from his nose.

He

"There! there!"-gasped Titmouse, breathless and exhausted, discharging a volley of oaths and opprobrious epithets at the victim of his

fury. Do it again! You will, won't you You'll go and meddle again in other people's youaile cu-cu-cursed officious But his rage was spentthe paroxysm was over; the silent and bleeding figure of Huckaback was before hisleyes and he gazed at Intip torror-stricken Ty Whate hadele done He sunki down on the bed bee sideni Hackabackdathen started,rapy wringing his hands and staring at him! it in ecstasy oof remorse and fright It was ratheresingalar that the noise of such an assaults should have aroused no one threenquire intouitpibutisoit wast Frightened-alinost mit of his be wildered senses, hoclosed and bolted the door and addressed himself as wolllas he was able, to the recovery af Huckaback Proppings him up, and splashingo cold water in his face, Titmouse at length discovered symptoms of revival, which he anxiously endea voured to accelerate, by putting to the lips of the slowly awakening victim of his violence some cold waters in a teas cup. He swallowed a little and soon afterwards, opening his eyes, stared on Titmouses with a dull eyle andibe wildered air of noiells Hnoits "What's been the matter?niat length he faintly enquired. bus dom "Oh, Hucky! so glad to hear you speak again. It's II Titty! I did it! Strike me, Hucky, as soon as you're well enough! Doalkick me any thing you choose! I won't hinder you!" cried Titmouse, sinking.com his knees, and clasping his hands to gether, as he perceived Huckaback rapidly reviving.

"Why-what is the matter?" repeated that gentleman, with a wondering air, raising his hand to his nose, from which the blood was still trickling. The fact is, that he had lost his senses, not so much from the violence of the injuries he had received, as of the suddenness with which they had been inflicted.

"I did it all-yes, I did!" continued Titmouse, gazing on him with a look of agony and remorse.

"Why I can't be awake-I can't!" said Huckaback, rubbing his eyes, and then staring at his stained shirt-front and hands.

"Oh, yes, you are you are!" groaned Titmouse e; "and I'm going mad as fast as I can! Do what you like to me! Lick me if you please! Call in a constable! Send me to gaol! Say I came to rob you-any

thing-I don't care what becomes of me!"

"Why-what does all this jabber mean, Titmouse?" enquired Huckaback sternly, apparently meditating reprisals. Oh, yes, I see! Now you are going to give it me! I won't stir. So. hit away, Hucky."

"Why are you mad?" enquired Hickáback, grasping him by the collarorather roughly.

of Yes, quite! Mad!-ruined!gone to the devil all at once!" e And what if you are? What did it matter to me? What brought you to me, here?" continued Huckaback, in a tone of increasing vehemence. "What have I done to offend you? How dare you come here? And at this time of night, too? Eh?"

"What, indeed! Oh lud, oh lud, oh lud! Kick me, I say-strike me! You'll do me good, and bring me to my senses. Me to do all this to you! And we've been such precious good friends always. I'm a brute, Hucky

I've been mad, stark mad, Huckyand that's all I can say."

oHuckaback stared at him more and mored and began at length to suspect bow matters stood-namely, that the Sunday's incident had turned Titmouse's head-he having also, no doubt, heard some desperate bad news during the day, smashing all his hopes, Armixture of emotions kept him silent Astonishment apprehension doubt

prido pique resentment, He had been struck his blood had been drawn -by the man there before him on his knees, formerly his friend, now, he supposed, a madman. aut etiup bad

"Why, curse me, Titmouse, if can make up my mind what to do to you!" he exclaimed.

pose you're going mad, or gone mad and I must forgive you, But ge away with you-out with you, or or I'll call in "Bernini zad

Forgive me forgive me, dear Hucky! Don't send me away shall go and drown myself if you do

"What the d-1 do I care if you do? You'd much better have gone and done it before you came here. Nay, be off and do it now, instead of blubbering here in this way.'

"Go on! Hit away-it's doing me good-the worse the better!" sobbed Titmouse.

"Come, come-none of this noise here. I'm tired of it."

"The pot and kettle, anyhow, Tit, as far as that goes-but let's spell over this letter; we haven't studied it yet; I'm a hand, rather, at getting at what's said in a letter!-Come" and they drew their chairs together, Huckaback reading over the letter, slowly, alone; Titmouse's eyes travelling incessantly from his friend's countenance to the letter, and so back again, to gather what might be the effect of its perusal.

"There's a glimpse of daylight yet, Titty!" said Huckaback, as he concluded reading it. "Now!

me, Hucky"

66

Is there really? Do tell

Why, first and foremost, how uncommon polite they are, (except that

"To be sure it is; and an't any thing better than nothing? But then, again, here's a stone in the other pocket-they say there's a circumstance!-Don't you hate circumstances, Titty ?I do."

"So do I! What does it mean? I've often heard-isn't it a thing? And that may be any thing." oa There's a great dif-hem! And they go on to say it's happened since you was there"

of Curse me, then, if that don't mean you, Huckaback !" interrupted Tit mouse, with returning anger.offlesar of No, that can't be it they said they'd no control over the circum stance; now they had over mep for they ordered me to the door, and l went; an't that so, Titty ?Lord, how my eye does smart, to be sure!"

[This was judiciously thrown in at that moment by Huckaback, as a kind of set-off.] ob font o& "And don't I smart all over, ins side and out, if it come to that ?en quired Titmouse, dolefully. T

"There's nothing particular in the rest of the letter-only uncommon civil, and saying if any thing turns up you shall hear." 30 Juo

"I could make that out myselfso there's nothing in that- said Titmouse, quickly.

"Well-if it is all over what a pity! Such things as we could have done, Titty, if we'd got the thingeh ?"

Titmouse groaned at this glimpse