The visage of the little man shone like burnished gold. His eyes danced and sparkled, and he chuckled as if animated by the most pleasurable emotions. “Aha! friend Chewkle,” he exclaimed, placing his cold, fishy hand upon Chewkle’s fevered wrist; “you are active this morning--full of business--away from home to a lawyer’s office--then hurrying back in a cab to your charmingly retired abode--away in a cab back to the solicitors, and now, ha! ha! eh? I’ll be sworn to Mr. Grahame’s, in the Regent’s Park, with _a_ communication--I say _a_ communication, he! he! Brisk fellow, sharp fellow, smart dog.” He poked Chewkle in the ribs, and Chewkle felt as if the dent his finger made remained, and would continue a hole for the rest of his life. “Oh” continued Nathan, “I am so partial to sharp fellows, especially when they move about so nimbly to serve others, without a thought of serving themselves, eh, friend Chewkle?--I say without one thought of doing themselves a small turn.” Chewkle tried to laugh, but no sound issued from his distended jaws. He felt his flesh crawl and creep over his bones, and his marrow vibrate; his scalp seemed to have the “pins and needles,” and his hair to rise slowly up, dust and all, threatening to tilt his hat into the mud. Nathan grinned at him like a Hindoo idol, nodded, and, diving among the flowing stream of persons ceaselessly passing on, disappeared. Chewkle shuddered, and drew a long breath. “I believe he’s the devil hisself,” he groaned, and slowly--now doubtfully--pursued his way to Grahame’s abode, made very uneasy by the conviction that the secret of his morning’s performance was not exclusively confined to himself. CHAPTER XIV.--LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. _Tra_.--I pray, sir, tell me--is it possible That love should of a sudden take such hold? _Luc._--Oh, Tranio, till I found it to be true, I never thought it possible or likely; But see while idly I stood looking on, I found the effect of love in idleness. --Shakspere. When Hal Vivian and Flora Wilton, summoned by Nathan Gomer, rejoined old Wilton, prior to his departure from the Queen’s Bench, they found him at the gate, leading into the ante-chamber or cage, through which every incomer or outgoer must pass, awaiting them. He appeared, in the eyes of both Flora and Hal, to have become another being. He was yet meanly clad, his face was still furrowed, and bore the lines of care and sorrow, and his hair straggled loosely and wildly; but there was a brilliancy in his eye, recently so dim; there was a hectic flush upon his cheek, of late wan and pallid; and his figure, some few hours past drooping, the symbol of hopeless wretchedness, was now erect, firm, and that of a gentleman.