his voice--stopped at the jingling of the glass, and his tale
was lost for ever. Scully hastily drank his wine, and Lady Gorgon turned
round to her next neighbour, a little gentleman in black, between whom
and herself certain conscious looks passed.

"I am glad poor Sir George is not here," said he, smiling.

Lady Gorgon said, "Pooh, for shame!" The little gentleman was no other
than Josiah Crampton, Esquire, that eminent financier, and he was now
going through the curious calculation before mentioned, by which you BUY
A MAN FOR NOTHING. He intended to pay the very same price for Sir George
Gorgon, too; but there was no need to tell the baronet so; only of this
the reader must be made aware.

While Mr. Crampton was conducting this intrigue, which was to bring a
new recruit to the Ministerial ranks, his mighty spirit condescended to
ponder upon subjects of infinitely less importance, and to arrange plans
for the welfare of his nephew and the young woman to whom he had made
a present of his heart. These young persons, as we said before, had
arranged to live in Mr. Perkins's own house in Bedford Row. It was of a
peculiar construction, and might more properly be called a house and
a half: for a snug little tenement of four chambers protruded from the
back of the house into the garden. These rooms communicated with the
drawing-rooms occupied by Mr. Scully; and Perkins, who acted as his
friend and secretary, used frequently to sit in the one nearest the
Member's study, in order that he might be close at hand to confer
with that great man. The rooms had a private entrance too, were newly
decorated, and in them the young couple proposed to live; the kitchen
and garrets being theirs likewise. What more could they need? We
are obliged to be particular in describing these apartments, for
extraordinary events occurred therein.

To say the truth, until the present period Mr. Crampton had taken no
great interest in his nephew's marriage, or, indeed, in the young man
himself. The old gentleman was of a saturnine turn, and inclined
to undervalue the qualities of Mr. Perkins, which were idleness,
simplicity, enthusiasm, and easy good-nature.

"Such fellows never do anything in the world," he would say, and for
such he had accordingly the most profound contempt. But when, after
John Perkins's repeated entreaties, he had been induced to make the
acquaintance of Miss Gorgon, he became instantly charmed with her, and
warmly espoused h