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142 THE LITTLE BLACK PORTER. Ha, ha! -Well! who has not been young? -Cupid and his bow, and then his son Hymen! My toast, when I'm in spirits, always is may Cupid's arrows be cut into matches to light Hymen's torch, but his bow never be destroyed in the conflagration.”

Come, come, sir! -this is foolery,” said Wharton, who seemed to be much agitated; — “your business, at once.”

“Foolery!” exclaimed Cæsar; “I will not suffer the dignity of man to be outraged in my person, remember; so take warning. Foolery, indeed! -but never mind; time is precious; wisdom has been rather improperly painted as an old woman with a flowing beard, and some of us have not long to live: so, as we are all friends, I will speak out my business without delay, provided I am honoured with Miss Isabel's permission.”

“I would rather hear it in private,” said the young lady.

“Then I am dumb,” quoth Cæsar: “Venus has sealed my lips with adamant.”

“You are joking, Bell; -surely you are joking,” exclaimed young Wharton.

“Decidedly you are, child I say, decidedly,” cried the Doctor.

“Indeed I am not, father,” replied Isabel, with a gravity of manner which, with her, was almost unprecedented.” If he have aught to say to me, and to me alone, I will hear it alone, or not at all.”

“You see, gentlemen,” said Cæsar,” I should be very happy -but Venus has stopped my breath. I have been always a slave to the sex. Mahomet went to the mountain; and it is insolence in a rushlight to rival the moon. Do not entreat me, for I'm inflexible.”

“No one entreats you, man,” said George: “if Isabel Plympton, and such as you, have any private business with each other, I, for one, will not trouble you with my presence.”

Young Wharton had no sooner uttered these words, than he walked out of the room.

“Good Heavens!” exclaimed the Doctor, “I never saw George so roused. Sir,” added he, addressing the attorney,” he's the quietest creature in existence gentle as a lamb meek as a dove; his enemies, if it were possible for one of his kind disposition to have any, would say he was even too passive. I'm quite alarmed; pray come with me pray do: assist me, sir, to soothe him. I'm quite unused to such events, and scarcely know how to act. Excuse me, sir, a moment.”

The last words of the Doctor were addressed, as he drew the attorney out of the room, to the Little Black Porter. “Don't mention it, sir,” said Cæsar; “if we can't make free, why should crickets be respected? And now, young lady, as we are quite alone“

“You come from Godfrey Fairfax,” interrupted Isabel.

“ Bless my soul!” exclaimed Cæsar; witch! -the world's at an end! But I ascribe it to Cupid. How do you know—”

“I guessed I was sure of it: -I dreamt of him last night. Give me his letter.”

“His letter?”

“Yes; -have you not one from him?”

“I will not deny that I have; but I was only to deliver it on condition”

“Don't talk of conditions; -give it to me at once.”

“There it is, then: your commands are my law. I have been a martyr to my submission to the fair, but I don't repent; and, as philosophy and analogy both concur”

“Not another word,” interrupted Isabel, but leave the house: -go. What! Cupid's messenger and demur?”

“Never: -I will fly. Wish for him, and Cæsar Devalle shall appear. I kiss your fair fingers.”

The Little Black Porter perpetrated a bow in his best style, and closed the front door behind him, as Dr. Plympton returned to the parlour.

“He's very obstinate George is,” said the Doctor; “I can't account for it; -he won't come in. But where's the gentleman of colour?”

“Gone, father.”

“Gone!”

“Yes; his business with me was brief, you see.”

“That may be; but I assure you, Bell, I do not feel exactly satisfied with you. I should like to know“

“Ask me no questions to night, papa: I am not well, and wish to retire. If you will permit me to go to my room at once, I will dutifully answer anything you please in the morning.”

“Well, go, my love; -go, and God bless you! but it's very mysterious for all that.”

Isabel retired, and, in a short time, the attorney, followed by George Wharton, entered the parlour. They found the Doctor walking to and fro, with his arms folded across his breast, and evidently absorbed in thought. Their appearance roused him from his reverie; he advanced, very earnestly shook hands with both of them, and asked pardon for his want of urbanity; as an excuse for which, he protested, with ludicrous solemnity, that he scarcely knew whether he was walking on his head or his heels.” My pupil, too,” he continued, looking at young Wharton, but addressing the attorney, I regret to perceive, still clothes his countenance in the frowns of displeasure.”

“Isabel is occupied in privately conferring somewhere with our new friend, I presume,” said George.

“No, child not at all,” replied the Doctor, with affected calmness; “she has gone to her room: one of her old attacks of head ache has occurred, and we may not expect to see her again for the remainder of the evening. The gentleman of colour had departed before my return to the parlour.”

“It would have been as well, I think, if you had not quitted it,” said young Wharton, angrily: “I remember the time when you made Miss Plympton a close prisoner, and would suffer none but the inmates of your own house to speak to