his mind than even upon his nether parts. All of the
feelings in the human breast, that of suspense is--"

"Worse than _hanging_," interrupted young Tom.

"Even so, boy [_cluck, cluck_], an apt comparison, seeing that in
suspense you are hanging, as it were, in the very region of doubt,
without being able to obtain a footing even upon conjecture. Nay, we
may further add another simile, although not so well borne out, which
is, that the agony of suspense doth stop the breath of a man for the
time, as hanging doth stop it altogether, so that it may be truly said,
that suspense is put an end to by suspending." [_cluck, cluck_.]

"And now that you've got rid of all that, master, suppose you fill up
your pipe," observed old Tom.

"And I will fill up your tumbler, sir," said Mary; "for you must be dry
with talking such hard words."

The Dominie this time made no objection, and again enveloped Mary and
himself in a cloud of smoke, through which his nose loomed like an
Indiaman in a Channel fog.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

THE DOMINIE'S BOSOM GROWS TOO WARM; SO THE PARTY AND THE FROST BREAK
UP--I GO WITH THE STREAM AND AGAINST IT; MAKE MONEY BOTH WAYS--COOLNESS
BETWEEN MARY AND ME--NO CHANCE OF A THAMES' EDITION OF ABELARD AND
ELOISE--LOVE, LEARNING, AND LATIN ALL LOST IN A FIT OF THE SULKS.

"I say, Master Stapleton, suppose we were to knock out half a port,"
observed old Tom, after a silence of two minutes; "for the old gentleman
blows a devil of a cloud: that is, if no one has an objection."
Stapleton gave a nod of assent, and I rose and put the upper window down
a few inches. "Ay, that's right, Jacob; now we shall see what Miss Mary
and he are about. You've been enjoying the lady all to yourself,
master," continued Tom, addressing the Dominie.

"Verily and truly," replied the Dominie, "even as a second Jupiter."

"Never heard of him."

"I presume not; still, Jacob will tell thee that the history is to be
found in Ovid's Metamorphoses."

"Never heard of the country, master."

"Nay, friend Dux, it is a book, not a country, in which thou may'st read
how Jupiter at first descended unto Semele in a cloud."

"And pray, where did he come from, master?"

"He came from heaven."

"The devil he did. Well, if ever I gets there, I mean to stay."

"It was love, all-powerful love, which induced him, maiden," replied the
Dominie, turning, with a smiling eye, to Mary.

"'Bove my comprehension altogether," replied