aptain Atkinson; for the kindness you have shown me I
am grateful." He shook my hand, and walked out of the room. "And for
having thus broken up our acquaintance, more grateful still," thought I,
as he went down stairs.

PART THREE, CHAPTER ONE.

I CUT MY NEW ACQUAINTANCE, BUT HIS COMPANY, EVEN IN SO SHORT A TIME,
PROVES MY RUIN--NOTWITHSTANDING I PART WITH ALL MY PROPERTY, I RETAIN MY
HONESTY.

In the mean time, the particulars of the duel had found their way into
the papers, with various comments, but none of them very flattering to
me; and I received a note from Mr Masterton, who, deceived by the
representations of that class of people who cater for newspapers, and
who are but too glad to pull, if they possibly can, everyone to their
own level, strongly animadverted upon my conduct, and pointed out the
folly of it; adding, that Lord Windermear wholly coincided with him in
opinion, and had desired him to express his displeasure. He concluded
by observing, "I consider this to be the most serious false step which
you have hitherto made. Because you have been a party to deceiving the
public, and because one individual, who had no objection to be intimate
with a young man of fashion, station, and affluence, does not wish to
continue the acquaintance with one of unknown birth and no fortune, you
consider yourself justified in taking his life. Upon this principle,
all society is at an end, all distinctions levelled, and the rule of the
gladiator will only be overthrown by the stiletto of the assassin."

I was but ill prepared to receive this letter. I had been deeply
thinking upon the kind offers of Lord Windermear, and had felt that they
would interfere with the _primum mobile_ of my existence, and I was
reflecting by what means I could evade their kind intentions, and be at
liberty to follow my own inclinations, when this note arrived. To me it
appeared to be the height of injustice. I had been arraigned and found
guilty upon an _ex-parte_ statement. I forgot, at the time, that it was
my duty to have immediately proceeded to Mr Masterton, and have fully
explained the facts of the case; and that, by not having so done, I left
the natural impression that I had no defence to offer. I forgot all
this, still I was myself to blame--I only saw that the letter in itself
was unkind and unjust--and my feelings were those of resentment. What
right have Lord Windermear and Mr Masterton thus to school and to
insult