to the papers which were still to come; and in doing this, rather surprised me by the cynical candour which he displayed. "You'll do, I think," he said to me; "but you'd better take in these two propositions of Euclid; they're almost sure to be given." I was not long left in doubt as to the motives of our host the tailor, in thus

entertaining us. Before letting me depart, he begged me to promise him the order for my outfit. Having already conferred this distinction upon my own tailor, I was able to refuse; but my host cajoled me into being measured for two suits of clothes, for which he implored me to be in no hurry to pay him. He added, that if I was at any time in want of money he should be most happy to supply me with it; "and I can put it down, you see," he explained, "as so much that you've had

of us in clothes." Having thanked him heartily for his goodness, I made my escape; and I afterwards learnt that no less than three of his guests, on that occasion alone, had promised him the order for their outfits, which no doubt may have helped him to pay for his turtle. I did not again avail myself of this wary individual's hospitality, though he every day proffered it. As soon as the examination was ended I returned to Hare Place, where I anxiously awaited news of the result.

I must now turn, in accordance with my plan, to a further consideration of the affairs of Mrs Frank Chobham, formerly Miss Helena Sutcliffe.

I

CHAPTER II.

MENTIONED the fact that when Mr Chobham was wooing Helena, the melancholy looks which prospered his suit were really the result of his having been lately rejected by a young lady in Italy. Of this young lady, who was called Miss Bertha Dean, Helena had only casually heard; and she was still completely ignorant that her husband had ever been the suitor of any one but herself, when he one day entered the room, exclaiming, "What infernal mischief she has

done!"

"Who, my dear?" his wife inquired.

"Oh my mother, my mother," answered he.

He then threw himself into a chair, and began to write a letter; tore the letter up, and commenced a second; then ground his teeth and struck his forehead. He sometimes indulged in such antics merely in order to excite interest, or to demand compassion; but on this occasion he was almost involuntarily demonstrating the great annoyance which he felt.

Helena presently left her occupation, and, coming to her husband's side, again asked him, in the most affectionate manner, what was the cause of his distress and what his mother had done. For some time he made no reply; but then, with extraordinary abruptness, he asked his wife," whether they were not as badly suited to one another as it was possible for any two people to be?"

This question may have caused Helena considerable pain, yet she answered, in a spirited, half-playful manner, that no people who were once married ought ever to suppose that they were badly suited; that, for her part, she always studied his happiness, though she feared she did not always do her duty.

Here he interrupted her, and said: "Yes, my dear, I know you always think you are doing your duty, and that I never do mine, but that isn't the point. What I say is, are we naturally the least bit suited to each other?"

When he had pursued this interesting theme for about ten minutes, Helena began to weep, upon which Chobham complained that she had given him a headache, and retired to his room.

For several days afterwards he was