nvolved in such a world of troubles? Well, gentlemen, what do
you think was the result? Why, both cases were given against me. In the
one, I had to pay costs--and in the other, to pay costs and repair the
drain too; and (added the melancholy gentleman with a sigh) I am at
this moment on my way to Edinburgh to pay the last instalment of these
ruinous and iniquitous claims." And, with this, the melancholy gentleman
ended the sad story of his sufferings.

We all pitied him from our hearts, and each in his own way offered him
the condolence that his case demanded.

He thanked us for the sympathy we expressed, and said that he felt
encouraged by it to ask our advice as to how he should conduct himself
in future, so as to obtain the peace and quiet he so earnestly desired.

"What would you recommend me to do, gentlemen--where would you advise me
to go," he said, in an imploring and despairing tone--nay, we thought
half crying--"to escape this merciless and unprovoked persecution?"

We were all much affected by this piteous appeal, and felt every desire
to afford such counsel to our ill-used friend as might be of service to
him; but, while we did so, we felt also the extreme difficulty of the
case; for we did not see by what possible line of conduct he could
escape persecution, if the very harmless and inoffensive one which he
had hitherto, of his own accord, adopted, had been found ineffectual for
his protection.

Indeed, it was the very, nay, the only one, which, _a priori_, we would
have recommended to him; but, as he had clearly shown us that it was an
ineffectual one, we really felt greatly at a loss what to say; and,
under this difficulty, we all remained for some time thoughtful and
silent. At length, however, it was agreed amongst us, as the case was
a poser, that we should sleep on the matter, and in the morning come
prepared with such advice as our intervening cogitations should suggest.

The melancholy gentleman again thanked us for the kind interest we
took in his unhappy case; adding, that he was now so disheartened, so
depressed in spirits, by the usage he had met with, that he almost felt
it an obligation to be allowed to live.

As it was now wearing late, and our landlord had just come in to
announce that supper was ready, and would be served up when ordered,
we agreed to rest satisfied for the night with the extempore
autobiographies, as I may call them, of our two worthy companions--the
little hunch-ba