like the measles, the second one was always
mild, and never hurt the constitution. Having thus
piqued her a little about myself, I gradually unsettled her
opinion on other things, frightened her by how the
geologists contradict Genesis, and gave her to choose
between Monsieur Cuvier and Moses. As for India, I made
her believe that we were all heartily ashamed of what we
were doing there, spoke of the Hindoo as the model native,
and said that if the story of our atrocities were written,
Europe would rise up and exterminate us. Hence I had
not taken the C.B., nor the V.C., nor any other alphabetical
glories. In a word, Drayton, I got her into that frame of
resdessness and fever in which all belief smacks of foolish
credulity, and the commonest exercise of trust seems like
the indulgence of a superstition.

"All this time no mention of Loyd, not a hint of his
existence. Yesterday, however, came a fellow here, a certain
Mr. Stockwell, with a note of introduction from Loyd,
calling him 'my intimate friend S., whom you have doubtless
heard of as a most successful, photographer. He is going to
India with a commission from the Queen,' &c. We had him to
dinner, and made him talk, as all such fellows are ready to
talk, about themselves and the fine people who employ them.
In the evening we had his portfolio and the peerage, and so
delighted was the vulgar dog to have got into the land of
coronets and strawberry-leaves, that he would have ignored
Loyd if I had not artfully brought him to his recollection;
but he came to the memory of 'poor Joe,' as he called him,
with such a compassionating pity, that I actually grew to
like him. He had been at the vicarage, too, and saw its
little homely ways and small economies; and I laughed so
heartily at his stupid descriptions and vapid jokes, that I
made the ass think he was witty, and actually repeat them.
All this time imagine Florry, pale as a corpse, or scarlet,
either half fainting or in a fever, dying to burst in with
an angry indignation, and yet restrained by maiden
bashfulness. She could bear no more by eleven o'clock, and
went off to bed under pretence of a racking headache.

"It is a great blow at any man's favour in a woman's esteem
when you show up his particular f