ikewise, that it is particularly incumbent upon those in my
situation to be circumspect in their intercourse with men and with
strangers. This is the second time that I have seen you. My knowledge of
you is extremely dubious and imperfect, and such as would make the
conduct you prescribe to me, in a high degree, rash and culpable. You
must not, therefore, expect me to pursue it."

These words were delivered with an air of firmness and dignity. I was
not insensible to the truth of her representations. "I confess," said I,
"what you have said makes me doubt the propriety of my proposal; yet I
would fain be of service to her. Cannot you point out some practicable
method?"

She was silent and thoughtful, and seemed indisposed to answer my
question.

"I had set my heart upon success in this negotiation," continued I, "and
could not imagine any obstacle to its success; but I find my ignorance
of the world's ways much greater than I had previously expected. You
defraud yourself of all the happiness redounding from the act of making
others happy. You sacrifice substance to show, and are more anxious to
prevent unjust aspersions from lighting on yourself, than to rescue a
fellow-creature from guilt and infamy.

"You are rich, and abound in all the conveniences and luxuries of life.
A small portion of your superfluity would obviate the wants of a being
not less worthy than yourself. It is not avarice or aversion to labour
that makes you withhold your hand. It is dread of the sneers and
surmises of malevolence and ignorance.

"I will not urge you further at present. Your determination to be wise
should not be hasty. Think upon the subject calmly and sedately, and
form your resolution in the course of three days. At the end of that
period I will visit you again." So saying, and without waiting for
comment or answer, I withdrew.

CHAPTER XL.

I mounted the stage-coach at daybreak the next day, in company with a
sallow Frenchman from St. Domingo, his fiddle-case, an ape, and two
female blacks. The Frenchman, after passing the suburbs, took out his
violin and amused himself with humming to his own _tweedle-tweedle_. The
monkey now and then munched an apple, which was given to him from a
basket by the blacks, who gazed with stupid wonder, and an exclamatory
_La! La!_ upon the passing scenery, or chattered to each other in a sort
of open-mouthed, half-articulate, monotonous, singsong jargon.

The man looked seldom eith