Thereupon, making use of nearly the same terms which Francis Ardry had employed, the individual in black uttered several sentences in tones and with gestures which were intended to express a considerable degree of pathos, though it is possible that some people would have thought both the one and the other highly ludicrous. After a pause, Francis recommenced imitating the tones and the gestures of his monitor in the most admirable manner. Before he had proceeded far, however, he burst into a fit of laughter, in which I should, perhaps, have joined, provided it were ever my wont to laugh. "Ha, ha!" said the other, good humouredly, "you are laughing at me. Well, well, I merely wished to give you a hint; but you saw very well what I meant; upon the whole, I think you improve. But I must now go, having two other pupils to visit before four." Then taking from the table a kind of three-cornered hat, and a cane headed with amber, he shook Francis Ardry by the hand; and, after glancing at me for a moment, made me a half-bow, attended with a strange grimace, and departed. "Who is that gentleman?" said I to Francis Ardry as soon as we were alone. "Oh, that is ---" said Frank smiling, "the gentleman who gives me lessons in elocution." "And what need have you of elocution?" "Oh, I merely obey the commands of my guardians," said Francis, "who insist that I should, with the assistance of ---, {249} qualify myself for Parliament; for which they do me the honour to suppose that I have some natural talent. I dare not disobey them, for, at the present moment, I have particular reasons for wishing to keep on good terms with them." "But," said I, "you are a Roman Catholic, and I thought that persons of your religion were excluded from Parliament?" "Why, upon that very thing the whole matter hinges; people of our religion are determined to be no longer excluded from Parliament, but to have a share in the government of the nation. Not that I care anything about the matter; I merely obey the will of my guardians; my thoughts are fixed on something better than politics." "I understand you," said I; "dog-fighting--well, I can easily conceive that to some minds dog-fighting--" {250a} "I was not thinking of dog-fighting," said Francis Ardry, interrupting me. "Not thinking of dog-fighting!" I ejaculated. "No," said Francis Ardry, "something higher and much more rational than dog-fighting at present occupies my thoughts." "Dear me," said I, "I thought I heard you say, that there was nothing like it!" "Like what?" said Francis Ardry. "Dog-fighting, to be sure," said I. "Pooh," said Francis Ardry; "who but the gross and unrefined care anything for dog-fighting? That which at present engages my waking and sleeping thoughts is love--divine love--there is nothing like _that_. Listen to me, I have a secret to confide to you."