Another and still louder roar of mirth again stopped me, and before I could resume, the company had gathered round me, in evident delight at my legal knowledge; and in particular, he of the spectacles, who was a well-known attorney of the Court of Conscience. "That fellow's a gem!" said he. "Hang me if he's not equal to Bleatem! Sam, take care what you do; he 's the chap to have his action against you! I say, my man, come and sit down here, and let us have a little chat together." "Most willingly, sir," responded I. "Waiter, bring my wine over to this table." This was the signal for another shout, of which I did not deign to take the slightest notice. "I'll wager a hundred oysters," exclaimed one of the party, among whom I now seated myself, "that I have seen him before! Tell me, my lad, didn't you ride over the course yesterday, and cut out the work for Mr. Beatagh?" I bowed an assent. "Who the devil is he?" cried two or three together; and my appearance and manner did not check the audible expression of this sentiment. "A few words will suffice, gentlemen," said I, "on that head. My father was an estated gentleman, of small, but unincumbered fortune, which he lost by an unfortunate speculation; he accordingly went abroad--" "To Norfolk Island!" suggested one, with a wink. "Exactly," responded I, "a Colonial appointment; leaving me, like Norval, not exactly on the Grampian Hills, but in a worse place, in the middle of the bog of Allen; my sole dependence being in certain legal studies I had once made, and a natural taste for getting forward in life; which, with a most enthusiastic appreciation of good company,"--here I bowed politely all round,--"are, I flatter myself, my chief characteristics." After a little, but most good-humored, quizzing about my present occupation and future prospects, they, with far more politeness than might be expected, turned the conversation upon other matters, and kindly permitted me to throw in from time to time my observations,--remarks which I could see, from their novelty, at least, seemed often to surprise them. At length the hour of separating arrived, and I arose to bid the company good-night, which I performed with a very fair imitation of that quiet ease I had often studied in the young guardsmen about town. "What do you bet that he has neither home to shelter him, nor bed to sleep on, this night?" whispered one to his neighbor. "What are you writing there, Cox?" said another, to the keen-eyed man, who was pencilling something on a card. "There, that's my address, my boy,--12, Stafford Street: Jeremiah Cox. Come to me about ten to-morrow."