a
holy kind of bond.--WON'T you let me persuade you to take one glass of
wine? Well! as you please, as you please,' he added, helping himself
again.

'Chester,' said Mr Haredale, after a short silence, during which he had
eyed his smiling face from time to time intently, 'you have the head and
heart of an evil spirit in all matters of deception.'

'Your health!' said the other, with a nod. 'But I have interrupted
you--'

'If now,' pursued Mr Haredale, 'we should find it difficult to separate
these young people, and break off their intercourse--if, for instance,
you find it difficult on your side, what course do you intend to take?'

'Nothing plainer, my good fellow, nothing easier,' returned the other,
shrugging his shoulders and stretching himself more comfortably before
the fire. 'I shall then exert those powers on which you flatter me so
highly--though, upon my word, I don't deserve your compliments to their
full extent--and resort to a few little trivial subterfuges for rousing
jealousy and resentment. You see?'

'In short, justifying the means by the end, we are, as a last resource
for tearing them asunder, to resort to treachery and--and lying,' said
Mr Haredale.

'Oh dear no. Fie, fie!' returned the other, relishing a pinch of snuff
extremely. 'Not lying. Only a little management, a little diplomacy, a
little--intriguing, that's the word.'

'I wish,' said Mr Haredale, moving to and fro, and stopping, and moving
on again, like one who was ill at ease, 'that this could have been
foreseen or prevented. But as it has gone so far, and it is necessary
for us to act, it is of no use shrinking or regretting. Well! I shall
second your endeavours to the utmost of my power. There is one topic in
the whole wide range of human thoughts on which we both agree. We shall
act in concert, but apart. There will be no need, I hope, for us to meet
again.'

'Are you going?' said Mr Chester, rising with a graceful indolence. 'Let
me light you down the stairs.'

'Pray keep your seat,' returned the other drily, 'I know the way. So,
waving his hand slightly, and putting on his hat as he turned upon his
heel, he went clanking out as he had come, shut the door behind him, and
tramped down the echoing stairs.

'Pah! A very coarse animal, indeed!' said Mr Chester, composing himself
in the easy-chair again. 'A rough brute. Quite a human badger!'

John Willet and his friends, who had been listening intently for the
clash of sword