nly two days old,
and I fear it will not long survive the third. Day before yesterday,
while visiting a patient in one of the opposite houses, I was suddenly
summoned from his bedside; a boy was dangerously ill; I must come as
soon as possible to the very house before which we just met. How I
scaled the staircase and entered the second story rooms on the wings of
my professional duty--a doctor is an enviable person, Edwin! All doors
open to him, while to you ordinary mortals they only unclose when you
knock as honest finders of property, or--rascally seekers. Imagine my
joyful surprise, when the fair enigma who had so icily dismissed me in
the box, now hastily approached and in the confusion of terror claimed
my assistance.

"Was she ill?"

"Not she herself But she has a lad in her service, a ridiculous little
fellow, who had already amused me greatly when he summoned me from the
other side of the street. The mysterious stranger--who at any rate
seems to have a kind heart, especially for minors--had allowed her
footman to invite a younger brother to dine with him, and the two
precocious men of the world had consumed a bottle of Cape wine and
smoked some horrible cigars. The striped waistcoat's stomach, already
hardened to such sins, endured the orgy without injury, while the
hopeful Jean junior lay like a broken lily on his brother's bed, and
had frightened the young lady, who had not the least suspicion of the
cause--the young tipplers had carefully put the bottle away--almost to
death. Now I could not possibly do Jean--who was leering significantly
at me, and had taken me into his confidence on the way--the injury of
making light of the case. Besides, successful cures of difficult cases
are a greater recommendation to a young physician, than the treatment
of the sickness that follows a drunken spree. So I took the pallid
scamp to his unsuspicious parents in my own carriage, and yesterday
reported his rapid progress toward convalescence. I'm now just in the
act of giving the second bulletin; but as, when I left him, the patient
was eating pears and dumplings with the best possible appetite, and his
noble patroness intends to visit him herself, you can understand that I
shall not be able to pay many more visits to the fairy castle; for
which I am very sorry--especially on your account, since according to
promise--"

"I have just told you--"

"That you're a Cato or a Plato, whichever you prefer. Meantime--even
with