aught, and
turned its flavour over and over with an aspect of potent Judicial wisdom
(one might have thought that he was weighing mankind m the balance), the
old lawyer heaved, and said, sharpening his lips over the admirable
vintage, "The world is in a very sad state, I fear, Sir Austin!"

His client gazed at him queerly.

"But that," Mr. Thompson added immediately, ill-concealing by his gaze
the glowing intestinal congratulations going on within him, "that is, I
think you would say, Sir Austin--if I could but prevail upon you--a
tolerably good character wine!"

"There's virtue somewhere, I see, Thompson!" Sir Austin murmured, without
disturbing his legal adviser's dimples.

The old lawyer sat down to finish his glass, saying, that such a wine was
not to be had everywhere.

They were then outwardly silent for a apace. Inwardly one of them was
full of riot and jubilant uproar: as if the solemn fields of law were
suddenly to be invaded and possessed by troops of Bacchanals: and to
preserve a decently wretched physiognomy over it, and keep on terms with
his companion, he had to grimace like a melancholy clown in a pantomime.

Mr. Thompson brushed back his hair. The baronet was still expectant. Mr.
Thompson sighed deeply, and emptied his glass. He combated the change
that had come over him. He tried not to see Ruby. He tried to feel
miserable, and it was not in him. He spoke, drawing what appropriate
inspirations he could from his client's countenance, to show that they
had views in common: "Degenerating sadly, I fear!"

The baronet nodded.

"According to what my wine-merchants say," continued Mr. Thompson, "there
can be no doubt about it."

Sir Austin stared.

"It's the grape, or the ground, or something," Mr. Thompson went on. "All
I can say is, our youngsters will have a bad look-out! In my opinion
Government should be compelled to send out a Commission to inquire into
the cause. To Englishmen it would be a public calamity. It surprises
me--I hear men sit and talk despondently of this extraordinary disease of
the vine, and not one of them seems to think it incumbent on him to act,
and do his best to stop it." He fronted his client like a man who accuses
an enormous public delinquency. "Nobody makes a stir! The apathy of
Englishmen will become proverbial. Pray, try it, Sir Austin! Pray, allow
me. Such a wine cannot disagree at any hour. Do! I am allowanced two
glasses three hours before dinner. Stomachic. I f