e has an eye! an eye, that
would pierce through a deal board." "By heavens," said Wewitzer, "that
must be then a gimhlet eye." ~206~~of charging them with any personal
knowledge of the amusing incidents they pretend to relate, beyond
a certain little wanton's green room _on dits_, or the chaste
conversations of the blushless naiads who sport and frolic in the
Cytherian mysteries which are nightly performed in the dark groves of
Vauxhall. Take a word of advice from an old soldier, colonel: It is
worse than leading a forlorn hope to attempt to storm a garrison single
handed; club secrets must be protected by club laws, for 'tis an old
Eton maxim, that tales told out of school generally bring the relater to
the block. But my friend Stanhope will no doubt explain this matter with
a much better grace when he comes in contact with the tale-bearer."

"Hem," instinctively ejaculated Horace C-----t, the once elegant Apollo
of Hyde Park, "thereby hangs a tale; 'tis a vile Age, and the sooner
we forget it, the better--I am for love and peace." "i.e. a piece"
responded the lieutenant. Horace smiled, and continued, "Come, Tom
Duncombe, I'll give our mutual favourite, the female Giovanni. Lads,
fill your glasses; we toast a deity, and one, too, who has equal claims
upon most of us for the everlasting favours she has conferred."

"'Fore Gad, lieutenant," simpered out Lord William, squaring himself
round to resume the conversation with the veteran, "if you do not
mind your hits, we must positively cut. My friend, the colonel, will
certainly set his blacks{5} upon you, and I shall be obliged to speak
to little magnanimous, the ex-Brummagem director, to strike off a
counterfeit impression of you in his scandalous Sunday chronicle, 'pon
honour, I must."

5 A very curious tradition is connected with a certain
castle near Gloucester, which foretells, that the family
name shall be extinct when the race of the blacks* cease to
be peculiar to the family; a prophecy that I think not very
likely to be fulfilled, judging by the conduct of the
present race of representatives.

* A species of Danish blood-hound, whose portraits and names
are carved in the oaken cornice of one of the castle
chambers.

~207~~"The divil a care," said the lieutenant, laughingly; "to arms with
you, my lord William; my fire engine will soon damp the ardour of little
magnanimous, and an extra dose of Tom Bish's compounds