“I was asleep, like yourself, I suppose,” said the Member, roughly. “I must say, we are neither of us the very liveliest company.” “It was that yarn of yours about attacking monkeys with a poker, or some stuff of that kind, set me off,” yawned Heathcote, drearily. “I had not felt the least sleepy till then.” “Here, let us fill our glasses, and drink to the jolly time that is coming for us,” said O'Shea, with all his native recklessness. “With all my heart; but I wish I could guess from what quarter it's coming,” said Heathcote, despondingly. If neither felt much disposed to converse, they each drank deeply; and although scarcely more than a word or two would pass between them, they sat thus, hour after hour, till it was long past midnight. It was after a long silence between them that Heathcote said: “I never tried so hard in my life to get drunk, without success. I find it won't do, though; I'm just as clearheaded and as low-spirited as when I started.” “Bosh!” muttered O'Shea, half dreamily. “It's no such thing!” retorted Heathcote. “At any ordinary time one bottle of that strong Burgundy would have gone to my head; and see, now I don't feel it.” “Maybe you 're fretting about something. It's perhaps a weight on your heart--” “That's it!” sighed out the other, as though the very avowal were an inexpressible relief to him. “Is it for a woman?” asked O'Shea. The other nodded, and then leaned his head on his hand. “Upon my conscience, I sometimes think they 're worse than the Jews,” said the Member, violently; “and there's no being 'up to them.'” “It's our own fault, then,” cried Heathcote; “because we never play fairly with them.” “Bosh!” muttered O'Shea, again. “I defy you to deny it,” cried he, angrily. “I 'd like a five-pound note to argue it either way,” said O'Shea. As if offended by the levity of the speech, Heathcote turned away and said nothing. “When you get down to Rome, and have some fun over those ox-fences, you 'll forget all about her, whoever she is,” said O'Shea. “I'm for England to-morrow, and for India next week, if they 'll have me.” “Well, if that's not madness--” “No, sir, it is not,” broke in Heathoote, angrily; “nor will I permit you or any other man to call it so.” “What I meant was, that when a fellow had _your_ prospects before him, India ought n't to tempt him, even with the offer of the Governor- Generalship.” “Forgive me my bad temper, like a good fellow,” cried Heathoote, grasping the other's hand; “but, in honest truth, I have no prospects, no future, and there is not a more hopeless wretch to be found than the man before you.” O'Shea was very near saying “Bosh!” once more, but he coughed it under.