be
very inconvenient to your honour to furnish me with my first quarter's
annuity in advance, and to see that the rest is duly paid into
Lafitte's, at Paris, for the use of Captain Douglas. Where I shall live
hereafter is at present uncertain; but I dare say there will be few
corners except old England and new England, in which I shall not make
merry on your honour's bounty."

"Pooh! my good fellow," rejoined I, "never desert a country to which
your talents do such credit; stay here, and reform on your annuity.
If ever I can accomplish my own wishes, I will consult your's still
farther; for I shall always think of your services with gratitude,
though you did shut the door in my face."

"No, Sir," replied Job--"life is a blessing I would fain enjoy a few
years longer; and, at present, my sojourn in England would put it
woefully in danger of 'club law.' Besides, I begin to think that a good
character is a very agreeable thing, when not too troublesome: and, as I
have none left in England, I may as well make the experiment abroad.
If your honour will call at the magistrate's, and take a warrant and an
officer, for the purpose of ridding me of my charge, at the very instant
I see my responsibility at an end, I will have the honour of bidding you
adieu."

"Well, as you please," said I. "Curse your scoundrel's cosmetics! How
the deuce am I ever to regain my natural complexion? Look ye, sirrah!
you have painted me with a long wrinkle on the left side of my mouth,
big enough to engulph all the beauty I ever had. Why, water seems to
have no effect upon it!"

"To be sure not, Sir," said Job, calmly--"I should be but a poor dauber,
if my paints washed off with a wet sponge."

"Grant me patience," cried I, in a real panic; "how, in the name
of Heaven, are they to wash off? Am I, before I have reached my
twenty-third year, to look like a methodist parson on the wrong side of
forty, you rascal!"

"The latter question, your honour can best answer," returned Job. "With
regard to the former, I have an unguent here, if you will suffer me to
apply it, which will remove all other colours than those which nature
has bestowed upon you."

With that, Job produced a small box; and, after a brief submission to
his skill, I had the ineffable joy of beholding myself restored to my
original state. Nevertheless, my delight was somewhat checked by the
loss of my ringlets: I thanked Heaven, however, that the damage had been
sustained after E