f-interest, and such like
balderdash."

"There must be a great deal of true nobility in such a nature," said
Julia.

"I'll tell you what, there is; and it runs through them all except the
eldest daughter, and that puppy the diplomatist--there's madness!"

"Madness?"

"Well, I call it madness. Suppose now I was to decline taking another
glass of that wine--Steinheimer, I think it's called--till I saw your
brother's receipt for the payment of it, would n't you say I was either
mad or something very near it?"

"I don't see the parity between the two cases," said Julia.

"Ah, you 're too sharp for me, Miss Julia, too sharp; but I 'm right
all the same. Is n't Jack Bramleigh mad? Is it anything but madness for
a man to throw up his commission and go and serve as a sailor--before
the mast or behind it, I don't care which; but isn't that madness?"

Julia felt a sense of sickness almost to fainting, but she never spoke
nor stirred, while George, quickly noticing her state, turned towards
Cutbill and said,--

"What news have you of him? he was a great favorite of mine."

"Of yours and of everybody's," said Cutbill. And now the color rushed
back to Julia's cheek, and had Cutbill but looked towards her, it is
very probable he would greatly have misconstrued the smile she gave him.
"I wish I had news of him: but for these last few months I have none.
When he got out to China he found that great house, Alcock and Baines,
smashed--all the tea-merchants were smashed--and they tell me that he
shipped with a Yankee for Constantinople."

"You heard from him, then?"

"No; he never writes to any one. He may send you a newspaper, or a piece
of one, to show where he is; but he says he never was able to say what
was in his head, and he always found he was writing things out of the
'Complete Correspondent.'"

"Poor Jack!"

"Shall I go and look after your coffee, George? You say you like me
to make it myself," said Julia; and she arose and left the room almost
before he could reply.

"You 'll never marry while she's your housekeeper, I see that," said
Cutbill, as the door closed after her.

"She is my greatest comfort in life," said the other, warmly.

"I see it all; and the whole time of dinner I was thinking what a pity
it was--No matter, I 'll not say what I was going to say. I 'm glad you
have n't told her of the smash till I see what I can do with the old
Viscount."

"But I have told her; she knows it all."

"And d