"'Pon my life, I don't neglect her!--Public life, you know--eh?" replied Titmouse, slowly, with his eyes closed, and speaking with the air of one suffering from _ennui_. Here a pause of some moments ensued. "Can we have about half an hour to ourselves, uninterruptedly?" at length inquired Mr. Gammon. "Ah--a--why--my singing-master is coming here a little after twelve," quoth Titmouse, turning himself round, so as to be able to look at the clock on the mantelpiece. "Oh, probably less than that period will suffice, if we shall not be interrupted--may I ring the bell, and will you give orders to that effect?" With this, Gammon rang the bell; and on the servant's appearing:-- "I say, sir--do you hear, demme?" said Titmouse, "not at home--till this gentleman's gone." The man bowed, and withdrew; and on his closing the door, Gammon softly stepped after him and bolted it; by which time Titmouse, somewhat startled, withdrew his hookah, for an instant, from his mouth, and gazed rather anxiously at Gammon, about whose appearance he then, for the first time, fancied he saw something unusual. "Aha!--My stars, Mr. Gammon, we're going to be _devilish_ secret--aren't we!" exclaimed Titmouse, with a faint smile, having watched Mr. Gammon's movement with great surprise; and he began to smoke rather more energetically than before, with his eye fixed on the grave countenance of Mr. Gammon. "My dear Titmouse," commenced his visitor, drawing his chair near to him, and speaking in a very earnest but kindly manner, "does it never astonish you, when you reflect on the stroke of fortune which has elevated you to your present point of splendor and distinction?" "Most amazing!--uncommon!" replied Titmouse, apprehensively. "It _is_!--marvellous! unprecedented! You are the envy of hundreds upon hundreds of thousands! Such an affair as yours does not happen above once or twice in a couple of centuries--if so often! You cannot imagine the feelings of delight with which _I_ regard all this--this brilliant result of my long labors, and untiring devotion to your service."--He paused. "Oh, 'pon my life, yes; it's all very true," replied Titmouse, with a little trepidation, replenishing the bowl of his hookah with tobacco. "May I venture to hope, my dear Titmouse, that I have established my claim to be considered, in some measure, as the sole architect of your extraordinary fortunes--your earliest--your most constant friend?" "You see, as I've often said, Mr. Gammon--I'm most uncommon obliged to you for all favors--so help me----! and no mistake," said Titmouse, exhibiting a countenance of increasing seriousness; and he rose from his recumbent posture, and, still smoking, sat with his face turned full towards Mr. Gammon, who resumed-- "As I am not in the habit, my dear Titmouse, of beating about the bush, let me express a hope that you consider the services I have rendered you not unworthy of requital"----