"Don't be a fool, Commilfaut."

"I will not when I am dead and buried, perhaps. Till then fool I shall always be, dear Captain. Come and play the billiard-one game-by dam! Only one game."

After a few moments' consideration, Captain Hertford said yes, and they went towards a billiard-room near the bridge, which was still open, at all events to the Captain.

The billiard-marker was a rather gentlemanlylooking young man, though with a decidedly dissipated air about him. Some day, some wise man will write the lives of eminent billiard-markers. It ought to be a very interesting book, for the lives of most of them have been singularly erratic and tragical.

They began playing, and talked about indifferent matters in English; but after a time Monsieur De Commilfaut having made a hit, turned to the marker and said in French: "That was a good stroke, was it not?"

The marker looked stupidly at him and said, "I beg your pardon, sir?" M. de Commilfaut repeated the question, and the marker turned with a puzzled air to Captain Hertford for explanation.

"The man don't understand French, don't you see," growled the captain; "go on."

"I perceive that the pig-headed brigand does not, as you remark, understand the language of Europe ; which is a charming discovery, as we can now discuss a few little matters, which I would be glad to have discussed." This was said in French, and from this time the conversation was carried on in French, a language which Captain Hertford spoke like his mother tongue.

"And how is my sweet cousin?" said De Commilfaut.

"She is a fool," said Captain Hertford sulkily. "She is. She don't appreciate me. Has, in fact, refused me an absurdly small loan of nine thousand francs. Eleanor Hilton is a young lady of incorrigibly bad taste. She prefers, for instance, you to me. Can anything be worse taste, my captain ?"

66

Nothing, I suppose," said the Captain, wincing. "Women are strange creatures; they will sometimes like a man better than a monkey."

The Frenchman was so delighted with this elegant sally of the Captain, that he went into the wildest fit of laughter. He gave his cue to the stupid marker,

sat on a bench, and laughed till he cried. After a time he took his cue again in a feeble manner, but before he could strike the ball the fit came on again, and he laughed till he cried again; by degrees he became quieter, and went on with his game.

"But I am glad to hear, my little pig-if, as you say in your Parliament, you will allow me to call you so that you are at the best with this infinitely rich, espiègle, but very obstinate little cousin of mine, Eleanor Hilton; and for this reason among others, that since she has refused me (by the mouth of an aged mountebank, whose ears should be served up au gratin at the devil's next dinner party) this trifling loan, I am at this moment in nubibus,' which means under ze cloud, unclassical cabbage!'

At this moment the marker broke out into a short laugh, and they both quickly turned on him. The marker explained.

"The French gentleman has played your ball, sir. I always notice that too much talk don't do at billiards any more than at whist."

The mistake was rectified, and they resumed the game and the conversation still in French.

"I suppose," said Captain Hertford, "that you are going to mention my little debt to you?"

"His little debt! Holy grey! the wealth of

these islanders!

debt!"

Forty thousand francs a little

"I don't call it a little debt! It is mode of speech," said Captain Hertford. "You cannot get blood out of a stone, though, my friend.”

"Alas, no! I know it. For this reason I am overwhelmed with joy to hear that you are at best with our determined little cousin ; that you are about marrying her, and about paying me my poor forty thousand francs."

"You will have your money if you wait," said Captain Hertford, sulkily. "I shall certainly marry her, and you will be paid in good time."

"I am sure, dear Captain. She has, then, thrown overboard this handsome young scoundrel-this Elliot?"

"No, she has not."

"I shall watch your play, then, with the greater anxiety. I have seen him-he is amazingly handsome-and I have seen them together. I followed her when she was leading a blind Milor, a Sir Edward, and she met him-this Elliot-and I' watched her; and I have had my good fortunes like another, and I can see. And she loves him."

"I am quite aware of it," said Captain Hertford. "And what are you going to do?"

"You asked me to-night," replied the Captain, "why I did not take a shot at Lord Charles Barty, for his cursed insolence in the House. I'll tell you why. If I had out Lord Charles Barty, and even hit him, it would necessitate a slight seclusion abroad, and the leaving the field in the hands of the enemy. I am waiting for an opportunity of insulting this fellow Elliot, and killing him."

Recommending yourself to my little cousin's good graces by killing her lover," said the Frenchman. "Well, I have heard of that succeeding. But that course also, my friend, will involve a temporary seclusion in the centre of European thought and intellect, Paris; and our cousin will be left to lead about the blind Milor, and will, as I hear, probably take the veil, which will be the devil itself."

"Not at all," said Captain Hertford. "If she was got away from Elliot and his confederate, Lord Charles Barty (who would, too, were he his second, have to retire also), her aunt could bring her abroad, and we might do anything with her. Marker, go and fetch me some soda-water and brandy."

The marker departed.