ave been, in
such a state of extreme inebriety, that your time has gone over like a
dream that has been forgotten. I believe that, from the day you came
first to my house, you have been in a state of utter delirium, and that
principally from the fumes of wine and ardent spirits."

"It is a manifest falsehood!" said I. "I have never, since I entered on
the possession of Dalcastle, tasted wine or spirits, saving once a few
evenings ago; and, I confess to my shame, that I was led too far; but I
have craved forgiveness and obtained it. I take my noble and
distinguished friend there for a witness to the truth of what I assert;
a man who has done more, and sacrificed more for the sake of genuine
Christianity than any this world contains. Him you will believe."

"I hope you have attained forgiveness," said he, seriously. "Indeed it
would be next to blasphemy to doubt it. But, of late, you have been
very much addicted to intemperance. I doubt if, from the first night
you tasted the delights of drunkenness, that you have ever again been
in your right mind until Monday last. Doubtless you have been for a
good while most diligent in your addresses to this lady's daughter."

"This is unaccountable," said I. "It is impossible that I can have been
doing a thing and not doing it at the same time. But indeed, honest
woman, there have several incidents occurred to me in the course of my
life which persuade me I have a second self; or that there is some
other being who appears in my likeness."

Here my friend interrupted me with a sneer, and a hint that I was
talking insanely; and then he added, turning to the lady: "I know my
friend Mr. Colwan will do what is just and, right. Go and bring the
young lady to him, that he may see her, and he will then recollect all
his former amours with her!'

"I humbly beg your pardon, sir," said I. "But the mention of such a
thing as amours with any woman existing, to me, is really so absurd, so
far from my principles, so from the purity of nature and frame to which
I was born and consecrated, that I hold it as an insult, and regard it
with contempt."

I would have said more in reprobation of such an idea, had not my
servant entered, and said that a gentleman wanted to see me on
business. Being glad of an opportunity of getting quit of my lady
visitor, I ordered the servant to show him in; and forthwith a little
lean gentleman, with a long aquiline nose, and a bald head, daubed all
over with powd