t
looks amiable enough. I must see; I must see!"

"Who shall I say inquired after her, when I see Madame Dalibard?" asked
Percival, with some curiosity.

"Who? Oh, Mr. Tomkins. She will not recollect him, though,"--and the
stranger laughed, and Mr. Mivers laughed too; and Mrs. Mivers, who,
indeed, always laughed when other people laughed, laughed also. So
Percival thought he ought to laugh for the sake of good company, and all
laughed together as he arose and took leave.

He had not, however, got far from the house, on his way to his
cabriolet, which he had left by Temple Bar, when, somewhat to his
surprise, he found Mr. Tomkins at his elbow.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. St. John, but I have only just returned to
England, and on such occasions a man is apt to seem curious. This young
lawyer ---- You see the elder Ardworth, a good-for-nothing scamp, was
a sort of friend of mine,--not exactly friend, indeed, for, by Jove, I
think he was a worse friend to me than he was to anybody else; still
I had a foolish interest for him, and should be glad to hear something
more about any one bearing his name than I can coax out of that droll
little linen draper. You are really intimate with young Ardworth, eh?"

"Intimate! poor fellow, he will not let any one be that; he works too
hard to be social. But I love him sincerely, and I admire him beyond
measure."

"The dog has industry, then;--that's good. And does he make debts, like
that rascal, Ardworth senior?"

"Really, sir, I must say this tone with respect to Mr. Ardworth's
father--"

"What the devil, sir! Do you take the father's part as well as the
son's?"

"I don't know anything about Mr. Ardworth senior," said Percival,
pouting; "but I do know that my friend would not allow any one to speak
ill of his father in his presence; and I beg you, sir, to consider that
whatever would offend him must offend me."

"Gad's my life! He's the luckiest young rogue to have such a friend.
Sir, I wish you a very good-day."

Mr. Tomkins took off his hat, bowed, and passing St. John with a rapid
step, was soon lost to his eye amongst the crowd hurrying westward.

But our business being now rather with him than Percival, we leave
the latter to mount his cabriolet, and we proceed with Mr. Mivers's
mercurial guest on his eccentric way through the throng. There was
an odd mixture of thoughtful abstraction and quick observation in the
soliloquy in which this gentleman indulged, as he walked