entleman with
whom you had the memorable quarrel, and he has forgiven it, although he
was in the wrong, and promises to do something for you. We are going
down, meanwhile, to his house at Richmond; and be sure, Mr. Titmarsh, I
will not fail to keep you in his mind."

"_Mrs_. Titmarsh will do that," says my Lady; "for Edmund is woefully
smitten with her!" And Mary blushed, and I laughed, and we were all very
happy: and sure enough there came from Richmond a letter to me, stating
that I was appointed fourth clerk in the Tape and Sealing-wax Office,
with a salary of 80_l_. per annum.

Here perhaps my story ought to stop; for I was happy at last, and have
never since, thank Heaven! known want: but Gus insists that I should add
how I gave up the place in the Tape and Sealing-wax Office, and for what
reason. That excellent Lady Jane Preston is long gone, and so is Mr. P---
off in an apoplexy, and there is no harm now in telling the story.

The fact was, that Mr. Preston had fallen in love with Mary in a much
more serious way than any of us imagined; for I do believe he invited his
brother-in-law to Richmond for no other purpose than to pay court to his
son's nurse. And one day, as I was coming post-haste to thank him for
the place he had procured for me, being directed by Mr. Charles to the
"scrubbery," as he called it, which led down to the river--there, sure
enough, I found Mr. Preston, on his knees too, on the gravel-walk, and
before him Mary, holding the little lord.

"Dearest creature!" says Mr. Preston, "do but listen to me, and I'll make
your husband consul at Timbuctoo! He shall never know of it, I tell you:
he _can_ never know of it. I pledge you my word as a Cabinet Minister!
Oh, don't look at me in that arch way: by heavens, your eyes kill me!"

Mary, when she saw me, burst out laughing, and ran down the lawn; my Lord
making a huge crowing, too, and holding out his little fat hands. Mr.
Preston, who was a heavy man, was slowly getting up, when, catching a
sight of me looking as fierce as the crater of Mount Etna,--he gave a
start back and lost his footing, and rolled over and over, walloping into
the water at the garden's edge. It was not deep, and he came bubbling
and snorting out again in as much fright as fury.

"You d-d ungrateful villain!" says he, "what do you stand there laughing
for?"

"I'm waiting your orders for Timbuctoo, sir," says I, and laughed fit to
die; and so did my Lord Tiptoff and