his hands stuck into his coat pockets, and resting on his hips, in a very delicate and elegant fashion. How completely he seemed at his ease! "Oh Lord!" thought Tag-rag, "that's the young fellow I used to go on so to!"

In due time dinner was announced; and who can describe the rapture that thrilled through the bosoms of the three Tag-rags, when Mr Quirk requested Mr Titmouse to take down Miss Tag-rag!! Her father took down Mis Alias; Mr Quirk, Mrs Tag-rag; and Gammon, Miss Quirk. She really might have been proud of her partner. Gammon was about thirty-eight years old; of average height; with a particularly gentlemanly appearance and address, and an intellectual and even handsome countenance, though occasionally it wore, to a keen observer, a sinister expression. He had a blue coat, a plain white waistcoat, not disfigured by any glistening fiddle-faddle of pins, chains, or quizzing-glasses, black trousers, and silk stockings. There was at once an appearance of neatness and carelessness; and there was such a ready smile-such a bland ease and self-possession about himas communicated itself to those whom he addressed. I hardly know, Mr Gammon, why I have thus noticed so particularly your outward appearance it certainly, on the occasion I am describing, struck me much; but there are such things as whited walls and painted sepulchres. Dinner went off very pleasantly, the wines soon communicating a little confidence to the flustered guests. Mrs Tag-rag had drunk so much champagne-an unusual beverage for her-that almost as soon as she had returned to the drawing-room, she sate down on the sofa and fell asleep, leaving the two young ladies to amuse each other as best they might; for Mrs Alias was very deaf, and moreover very stiff and distant, and sate looking at them in silence. To return to the diningroom for a moment. 'Twas quite delightful to see the sort of friendship that seemed to grow up between Quirk and Tag-rag, as their heads got filled with wine: at the same time each of them drawing closer and closer to Titmouse, who sate between them -volubility itself. They soon dropped all disguise each plainly under the

impression that the other could not, or did not, observe him; and altogether, impelled by their overmastering mo. tives, they became so barefaced in their sycophaney-evidently forgetting that Gammon was present-that he could several times, with only the utmost difficulty, refrain from bursting into laughter at the earnest devotion with which these two worshippers of the little golden calf strove to attract the attention of their divinity, and recommend themselves to its favour.

At length the four gentlemen repaired to the drawing-room, whence issued the sounds of music; and on entering they beheld the two lovely performers seated at the piano, engaged upon a duet. The plump flaxen-haired Miss Quirk, in her flowing white muslin dress, her thick gold chain, and massive bracelets, formed rather a strong contrast to her sallow skinny little companion, in a spannew slate-coloured silk dress, with staring scarlet sash; her long corkscrew ringlets glistening in bear's grease and as for their performance, Miss Quirk played boldly and well through her part, a smile of contempt now and then beaming over her countenance at the ridiculous incapacity of her companion. As soon as the gentlemen made their appearance the ladies ceased, and withdrew from the piano; Miss Tag-rag, with a sweet air of simplicity and conscious embarrassment, gliding towards the sofa, where sate her mamma asleep, but whom she at once awoke. Mr Quirk exclaimed, as, evidently elevated with wine, he slapped his daughter on her fat back, "Ah, Dora, my dove!" while Tag-rag kissed his daughter's cheek, and squeezed her hand, and then glanced with a proud and delighted air at Titmouse, who was lolling at full length upon the other sofa, picking his teeth. While Miss Quirk was making tea, Gammon gaily conversing with her, and in an under tone satirizing Miss Tag-rag; the latter young lady was gazing, with a timid air, at the various elegant nicknacks scattered upon the tables and slabs. One of these consisted of a pretty little box, about a foot square, with a glass lid, through which she saw the contents; and they not a little surprised her. They were pieces of cord; and on looking at one of the sides of the box, she read, with a

sudden shudder," With these cords were tied the hands of Arthur Grizzlegut, executed for high treason, 19th November, 18-. Presented, as a mark of respect, to Caleb Quirk, Esq., by John Ketch." Poor Miss Tag-rag recoiled from the box as if she had seen it filled with writhing adders. She took an early opportunity, however, of calling her father's attention to it; and he pronounced it a "most interesting object," and fetched Mrs Tag-rag to see it. She agreed first with her daughter, and then with her husband. Quietly pushing her investigations, Miss Tag-rag by and by beheld a large and splendidly bound volume-in fact, Miss Quirk's album; and, after turning over most of the leaves, and glancing over the "poeti cal effusions" and "prose sentiments," which few fools can abstain from depositing upon the embossed pages, when solicited by the lovely proprietresses of such works, beheld her heart fluttered-poor Miss Tagrag almost dropped the magnificent volume; for there was the idolized name of Mr Titmouse-no doubt his own handwriting and composition. She read it over eagerly again and again,

"Tittlebat Titmouse is my name,
England is my nation;
London is my dwelling place,

And Christ is my salvation."

It was very very beautiful-beautiful in its simplicity! She looked anxiously about for writing implements; but not seeing any, was at length obliged to trust to her memory; on which, indeed, the exquisite composition was already inscribed in indelible characters. Miss Quirk, who was watching her motions, guessed the true cause of her excitement; and a smile of mingled scorn and pity for her infatuated delusion shone upon her face in which, however, there appeared a little anxiety when she beheld Titmouse-not, however, perceiving that he did so in consequence of a motion from Gammon, whose eye governed his movements as a man's those of his spaniel-walk up to her, and converse with a great appearance of interest. At length Mr Tag-rag's "carriage" was announced. Mr Quirk gave his arm to Mrs Tagrag, and Mr Titmouse to the daughter; who endeavoured, as she went

down the stairs, to direct melting glances at her handsome and distinguished companion. They evidently told, for she could not be mistaken; he certainly once or twice squeezed her arm-and the last fond words he uttered to her were, "'Pon my soulit's early: devilish sorry you're going!" As the Tag-rags drove home, they were all loud in the praises of those whom they had just quitted, particularly of those whose splendid hospitality they had been enjoying. With a daughter, with whom Mr Quirk must naturally have wished to make so splendid a match as that with Titmouse,-but who was plainly engaged to Mr Gammon-how kind and disinterested was Mr Quirk, in affording every encou ragement in his power to the passion which Titmouse had so plainly con ceived for Miss Tag-rag! And was there ever so delightful a person as Gammon? How cordially he had shaken the hands of each of them at parting! As for Miss Tag-rag, she almost felt that, if her heart had not been so deeply engaged to Titmouse, she could have loved Mr Gammon !

"I hope, Tabby," said Mrs Tagrag, "that when you're Mrs Titmouse, you'll bring your dear husband to hear Mr Horror? You know, we ought to be grateful to the Lord-for He has done it."

"La, ma, how can I tell?" quoth Miss Tag-rag, petulantly. "I must go where Mr Titmouse chooses, of course; and no doubt he'll take sittings in one of the West End churches: you know, you go where pa goes-I go where Titmouse goes! But I will come sometimes, too-if its only to show that I'm not above it, you know. La, what a stir there will be! The three Miss Knipps-I do so hope they'll be there! I'll have your pew, ma, lined with red velvet; it will look so genteel."

"I'm not quite so sure, Tabby, though," interrupted her father, with a certain swell of manner, "that we shall, after a certain event, continue to live in these parts. There's such a thing as retiring from business, Tabby; besides, we shall nat'rally wish to be near you."

"He's a love of a man, pa, isn't he?" interrupted Miss Tag-rag, with irrepressible excitement. Her father folded her in his arms. They could hardly believe that they had reached

of the surface of the earth in those parts, which one may conceive to have taken place consequent upon those events; those imposing feudal residences having been originally erected in positions so carefully selected with a view to their security against aggression, as to have become totally inaccessible; and, indeed, unknown, to the present inglorious and degenerate race, no longer animated by the spirit of chivalry and adventure.

[I have now recovered my breath, after my bold flight into the resplendent regions of aristocracy; but my eyes are still dazzled.]

The reader may by this time have

got an intimation that Tittlebat Titmouse, in a madder freak of fortune than any which her incomprehensible ladyship hath hitherto exhibited in the pages of this history, is far on his way towards a dizzy pitch of greatness, viz., that he has now, owing to the verdict of the Yorkshire jury, taken the place of Mr Aubrey, and become heir expectant to the oldest barony in the kingdom-between it and him only one old peer, and his sole child-an unmarried daughter intervening. Behold the thing demonstrated to your very eye, in the following pedigree, which is only our former one† a little extended.

↑ Ante, No. CCXCVI. p. 820.