there must have been subjects
of conversation; but as they fell upon the ear of Tallyho without
connection, he almost fancied himself transported to the tower of Babel
amidst the confusion of tongues.

"Beg pardon," said Tallyho, who by this time had gained a seat by his
Cousin, and was gasping like a turtle for air--"I am not used to this
travelling in the dark; but I shall be able to see presently."

"See," said Frank Harry, "who the devil wants to see more than their
friends around them? and here we are _at home to a peg_."

~285~~ "I shall have finished in two minutes, Gentlemen," said the
Reader,{1} cocking up a red nose, that shone with resplendent lustre
between his spectacles, and then continuing to read on, only listened
to by a few of those around him, while a sort of general buz of
conversation was indistinctly heard from all quarters.

They were quickly supplied with grog and segars, and Bob, finding
himself a little better able to make use of his eyes, was throwing
his glances to every part of the room, in order to take a view of the
company: and while Tom was congratulated by those who knew him at the
_Round Table_--Merrywell and Harry were in close conversation with
Mortimer.

At a distant part of the room, one could perceive boxes containing small
parties of convivials, smoking and drinking, every one seeming to have
some business of importance to claim occasional attention, or engaged
in,

"The loud laugh that speaks the vacant mind." In one corner was a stout
swarthy-looking man, with large whiskers and of ferocious appearance,
amusing those around him with conjuring tricks, to their great
satisfaction and delight; nearly opposite the Reader of the Courier, sat
an elderly Gentleman{2} with grey hair, who heard

1 To those who are in the habit of visiting this room in an
evening, the character alluded to here will immediately be
familiar. He is a gentleman well known in the neighbourhood
as an Auctioneer, and he has a peculiar manner of reading
with strong emphasis certain passages, at the end of which
he makes long pauses, laughs with inward satisfaction, and
not infrequently infuses a degree of pleasantry in others.
The Courier is his favourite paper, and if drawn into an
argument, he is not to be easily subdued.

"At arguing too each person own'd his skill,
For e'en tho' vanquish'd, he can argue still."

2 This gentlem