Just as he was turning away from the front of Number One, buttoning his overcoat with an air of self-abstraction, he was suddenly and unaccountably attacked in the chest with such violence as almost to throw him off his feet. At the next moment his ears were assailed by a profusion of apologetic explanations from a young man, who made out to tell him, that, coming out of his house with the intention of calling next door, he had leaped over the snow that lay between, and, not seeing the gentleman, had, most unintentionally, plunged headlong into him. He hoped he had not hurt him; he begged a thousand pardons; it was very careless in him; and then, perfect peace having succeeded this violent attack, the new-comer politely asked,-- "Can you tell me whether Doctor Chocker is at home, and disengaged? I perceive that you have just left his house." "Do you mean the deaf old gentleman in Number One?" asked Nicholas. "I was not aware that he was deaf," said his companion. "And I did not know that his name was Doctor Chocker," said Nicholas, smiling. "But may I ask," said he, with a sudden thought, and blushing so hard that even the wintry red of his cheeks was outshone, "if you were just going to see him?" "I had an appointment to see him at this hour; and that is the reason why I asked you if he was disengaged." "He--he is not engaged, I believe," said Nicholas, stammering and blushing harder than ever; "but a word with you, Sir. I must--really--it was wholly unintentional--but unless I am mistaken, the old gentleman thought I was you." "Thought you were I?" said the other, screwing his eyebrows into a question, and letting his nose stand for an exclamation-point. "But come, it is cold here,--will you do me the honor to come up to my room? At any rate, I should like to hear something about the old fellow." And he turned towards the next house. "What--!" said Nicholas, "do you live in Number Two?" "Yes, I have rooms here," said his companion, jumping back over the snow. "You seem surprised." "It is extraordinary," muttered Nicholas to himself, as he entered the house and followed his new acquaintance up stairs. Their entrance seemed to create some confusion; for there was an indistinct sound as of a tumultuous retreat in every direction, a scuttling up and down stairs, and a whisking of dresses round corners, with still more indistinct and distant sound of suppressed chattering and a voice berating.