till retain the tastes of
my boyhood; the Muses cradled my childhood, they now smooth the pillow
of my footstool--Quem tu, Melpomene, are not yet subject to gout, dira
podagra: By the way, how is the worthy Doctor since his attack?--Ah, see
now, if you have not still, by your delightful converse, kept me from
his letter--yet, positively I need no introduction to you, Apollo has
already presented you to me. And as for the Doctor's letter, I will read
it after dinner; for as Seneca--" "I beg your pardon a thousand times,
Sir," said Walter, who began to despair of ever coming to the matter
which seemed lost sight of beneath this battery of erudition, "but you
will find by Dr. Hebraist's letter, that it is only on business of the
utmost importance that I have presumed to break in upon the learned
leisure of Mr. Jonas Elmore."

"Business!" replied Mr. Elmore, producing his spectacles, and
deliberately placing them athwart his nose,

"'His mane edictum, post prandia Callirhoen, etc.

"Business in the morning, and the ladies after dinner. Well, Sir, I will
yield to you in the one, and you must yield to me in the other: I will
open the letter, and you shall dine here, and be introduced to Mrs.
Elmore;--What is your opinion of the modern method of folding letters?
I--but I see you are impatient." Here Mr. Elmore at length broke the
seal; and to Walter's great joy fairly read the contents within.

"Oh! I see, I see!" he said, refolding the epistle, and placing it in
his pocket-book; "my friend, Dr. Hebraist, says you are anxious to be
informed whether Mr. Clarke ever received the legacy of my poor cousin,
Colonel Elmore; and if so, any tidings I can give you of Mr. Clarke
himself; or any clue to discover him will be highly acceptable. I
gather, Sir, from my friend's letter, that this is the substance of your
business with me, caput negotii;--although, like Timanthes, the painter,
he leaves more to be understood than is described, 'intelligitur plus
quam pingitur,' as Pliny has it."

"Sir," said Walter, drawing his chair close to Mr. Elmore, and his
anxiety forcing itself to his countenance, "that is indeed the substance
of my business with you; and so important will be any information
you can give me that I shall esteem it a--" "Not a very great favour,
eh?--not very great?"

"Yes, indeed, a very great obligation."

"I hope not, Sir; for what says Tacitus--that profound reader of the
human heart,--'beneficia eo usqu