rang his bell with such force
that it broke. His valet, not unused to such ebullitions, immediately
appeared.

'Has anything happened, Spalding?' said his lordship.

'Nothing particular, my lord. Her ladyship sent every day, and called
herself twice, but I told her your lordship was in Yorkshire.'

'That was right; I saw a letter from her. When did it come?'

'It has been here several days, my lord.'

'Mind, I am at home to nobody; I am not in town.'

The valet bowed and disappeared. Cadurcis threw himself into an easy
chair, stretched his legs, sighed, and then swore; then suddenly
starting up, he seized a mass of letters that were lying on the table,
and hurled them to the other end of the apartment, dashed several
books to the ground, kicked down several chairs that were in his way,
and began pacing the room with his usual troubled step; and so he
continued until the shades of twilight entered his apartment. Then he
pulled down the other bell-rope, and Mr. Spalding again appeared.

'Order posthorses for to-morrow,' said his lordship.

'Where to, my lord?'

'I don't know; order the horses.'

Mr. Spalding again bowed and disappeared.

In a few minutes he heard a great stamping and confusion in his
master's apartment, and presently the door opened and his master's
voice was heard calling him repeatedly in a very irritable tone.

'Why are there no bells in this cursed room?' inquired Lord Cadurcis.

'The ropes are broken, my lord.'

'Why are they broken?'

'I can't say, my lord,'

'I cannot leave this house for a day but I find everything in
confusion. Bring me some Burgundy.'

'Yes, my lord. There is a young lad, my lord, called a few minutes
back, and asked for your lordship. He says he has something very
particular to say to your lordship. I told him your lordship was out
of town. He said your lordship would wish very much to see him, and
that he had come from the Abbey.'

'The Abbey!' said Cadurcis, in a tone of curiosity. 'Why did you not
show him in?'

'Your lordship said you were not at home to anybody.'

'Idiot! Is this anybody? Of course I would have seen him. What the
devil do I keep you for, sir? You seem to me to have lost your head.'

Mr. Spalding retired.

'The Abbey! that is droll,' said Cadurcis. 'I owe some duties to the
poor Abbey. I should not like to quit England, and leave anybody in
trouble at the Abbey. I wish I had seen the lad. Some son of a tenant
who has written to