ur country. Now, sir, observe my gestures, and pay
attention to the tone of my voice, sir."

Thereupon, making use of nearly the same terms which Francis Ardry had
employed, the individual in black uttered several sentences in tones and
with gestures which were intended to express a considerable degree of
pathos, though it is possible that some people would have thought both
the one and the other highly ludicrous. After a pause, Francis Ardry
recommenced imitating the tones and the gestures of his monitor in the
most admirable manner. Before he had proceeded far, however, he burst
into a fit of laughter, in which I should, perhaps, have joined, provided
it were ever my wont to laugh. "Ha, ha!" said the other, good
humouredly, "you are laughing at me. Well, well, I merely wished to give
you a hint; but you saw very well what I meant; upon the whole I think
you improve. But I must now go, having two other pupils to visit before
four."

Then taking from the table a kind of three-cornered hat, and a cane
headed with amber, he shook Francis Ardry by the hand; and, after
glancing at me for a moment, made me a half bow, attended with a strange
grimace, and departed.

"Who is that gentleman?" said I to Francis Ardry, as soon as we were
alone.

"Oh, that is ---," said Frank smiling, "the gentleman who gives me
lessons in elocution."

"And what need have you of elocution?"

"Oh, I merely obey the commands of my guardians," said Francis, "who
insist that I should, with the assistance of ---, qualify myself for
Parliament; for which they do me the honour to suppose that I have some
natural talent. I dare not disobey them; for, at the present moment, I
have particular reasons for wishing to keep on good terms with them."

"But," said I, "you are a Roman Catholic; and I thought that persons of
your religion were excluded from Parliament?"

"Why, upon that very thing the whole matter hinges; people of our
religion are determined to be no longer excluded from Parliament, but to
have a share in the government of the nation. Not that I care anything
about the matter; I merely obey the will of my guardians; my thoughts are
fixed on something better than politics."

"I understand you," said I; "dog-fighting--well, I can easily conceive
that to some minds dog-fighting--"

"I was not thinking of dog-fighting," said Francis Ardry, interrupting
me.

"Not thinking of dog-fighting!" I ejaculated.

"No," said Francis Ardry