came while he took his coffee by himself; and as Mark, with all his vigilance, was unable to keep them from the door; he resolved to go to bed. Not that he felt at all sure of bed being any protection, but that he might not leave a forlorn hope untried.

He had communicated this design to Mark, and was on the eve of escaping, when the door was thrown open in a great hurry, and an elderly gentleman entered: bringing with him a lady who certainly could not be considered young--that was matter of fact; and probably could not be considered handsome--but that was matter of opinion. She was very straight, very tall, and not at all flexible in face or figure. On her head she wore a great straw bonnet, with trimmings of the same, in which she looked as if she had been thatched by an unskilful labourer; and in her hand she held a most enormous fan.

`Mr. Chuzzlewit, I believe?' said the gentleman.

`That is my name.'

`Sir,' said the gentleman, `I am pressed for time.'

`Thank God!' thought Martin.

`I go back Toe my home, sir,' pursued the gentleman, `by the return train, which starts immediate. Start is not a word you use in your country, sir.'

`Oh yes, it is,' said Martin.

`You air mistaken, sir,' returned the gentleman, with great decision: `but we will not pursue the subject, lest it should awake your preju-dice. Sir, Mrs. Hominy.'

Martin bowed.

`Mrs. Hominy, sir, is the lady of Major Hominy, one of our chicest spirits; and belongs Toe one of our most aristocratic families. You air, p'raps, acquainted, sir, with Mrs. Hominy's writings.'

Martin couldn't say he was.

`You have much Toe learn, and Toe enjoy, sir,' said the gentleman. `Mrs. Hominy is going Toe stay until the end of the Fall, sir, with her married daughter at the settlement of New Thermopylae, three days this side of Eden. Any attention, sir, that you can show Toe Mrs. Hominy upon the journey, will be very grateful Toe the Major and our fellow-citizens. Mrs. Hominy, I wish you good night, ma'am, and a pleasant pro-gress on your rout!'

Martin could scarcely believe it; but he had gone, and Mrs. Hominy was drinking the milk.

`A'most used-up I am, I do declare!' she observed. `The jolting in the cars is pretty nigh as bad as if the rail was full of snags and sawyers.'

`Snags and sawyers, ma'am?' said Martin.

`Well, then, I do suppose you'll hardly realise my meaning, sir,' said Mrs. Hominy. `My! only think! Do tell!'

It did not appear that these expressions, although they seemed to conclude with an urgent entreaty, stood in need of any answer; for Mrs. Hominy, untying her bonnet-strings, observed that she would withdraw to lay that article of dress aside, and would return immediately.

`Mark!' said Martin. `Touch me, will you. Am I awake?'