of certain mental endowments which it is unnecessary
to specify, and in further consideration of one thousand louis d'or, I
being aged one year and one month, do hereby make over to the bearer
of this agreement all my right, title, and appurtenance in the shadow
called my soul. (Signed) A...." {*4} (Here His Majesty repeated a name
which I did not feel justified in indicating more unequivocally.)

{*4} Quere-Arouet?

"A clever fellow that," resumed he; "but like you, Monsieur Bon-Bon,
he was mistaken about the soul. The soul a shadow, truly! The soul a
shadow; Ha! ha! ha!--he! he! he!--hu! hu! hu! Only think of a fricasseed
shadow!"

"Only think--hiccup!--of a fricasseed shadow!" exclaimed our hero,
whose faculties were becoming much illuminated by the profundity of his
Majesty's discourse.

"Only think of a hiccup!--fricasseed shadow!! Now,
damme!--hiccup!--humph! If I would have been such
a--hiccup!--nincompoop! My soul, Mr.--humph!"

"Your soul, Monsieur Bon-Bon?"

"Yes, sir--hiccup!--my soul is-"

"What, sir?"

"No shadow, damme!"

"Did you mean to say-"

"Yes, sir, my soul is--hiccup!--humph!--yes, sir."

"Did you not intend to assert-"

"My soul is--hiccup!--peculiarly qualified for--hiccup!--a-"

"What, sir?"

"Stew."

"Ha!"

"Soufflee."

"Eh!"

"Fricassee."

"Indeed!"

"Ragout and fricandeau--and see here, my good fellow! I'll let you have
it--hiccup!--a bargain." Here the philosopher slapped his Majesty upon
the back.

"Couldn't think of such a thing," said the latter calmly, at the same
time rising from his seat. The metaphysician stared.

"Am supplied at present," said his Majesty.

"Hiccup--e-h?" said the philosopher.

"Have no funds on hand."

"What?"

"Besides, very unhandsome in me--"

"Sir!"

"To take advantage of-"

"Hiccup!"

"Your present disgusting and ungentlemanly situation."

Here the visiter bowed and withdrew--in what manner could not precisely
be ascertained--but in a well-concerted effort to discharge a bottle
at "the villain," the slender chain was severed that depended from the
ceiling, and the metaphysician prostrated by the downfall of the lamp.

SOME WORDS WITH A MUMMY.

THE _symposium_ of the preceding evening had been a little too much
for my nerves. I had a wretched headache, and was desperately drowsy.
Instead of going out therefore to spend the evening as I had proposed,
it occurred to me that I could not do a wiser thing than