"That will be a lighter, and far pleasanter bondage I trust, Watson, than the one from which I am about escaping. It will be an easy yoke compared to the galling one under which I have toiled for the last six months. Still, I do not regret having bound myself as I did. It was necessary to give me that self-control which I had well-nigh lost. Now I shall be able to act like a rational man, and be temperate from principle, and not from a mere external restraint that made me little better than a machine." "Your time will be up, you say, in half an hour?" "Yes--" looking at his watch--"in ten minutes. It is later than I thought." "Come, then, let us go over to R--'s--it is full ten minutes' walk from here--and take a drink to freedom and principle." "I am ready to join you, of course," was Barclay's prompt reply, as he drew his arm within that of his friend, and the two turned their steps towards the drinking establishment that had been named by the latter. "A room, a bottle of sherry, and some cigars," said Watson, as they entered the drinking-house, and went up to the bar. In a few minutes after, they were alone, with wine and glasses before them. "Here's to freedom and principle!" said Watson, lifting his glass, after having filled his own and Barclay's. "And here's to the same high moral (sic) atributes which should ever be man's distinguishing characteristics," responded Barclay, lifting his own glass, and touching with it the brim of that held in the hand of his friend. Both then emptied their glasses at a draught. "Really, that is delicious!" Barclay said, smacking his lips, as the rich flavour of the wine lingered on his palate with a sensation of exquisite delight. "It's a pretty fair article," was the indifferent reply of Watson--"though I have tasted better in my time. Long abstinence has made its flavour peculiarly pleasant. Here, let me fill your glass again." Without hesitating, Barclay presented his glass, which was again filled to the brim. In the next moment it was empty. So eager was he to get it to his lips, that he even spilled a portion of the wine in lifting it hurriedly. Suddenly his old, and as he had thought, extinguished desires, came back upon him, roused into vigorous activity, like a giant awakening refreshed by a long repose. So keen was his appetite for wine, and stimulating drinks, thus suddenly restored, that he could no more have withstood its influence than he could have borne up against the current of a mighty river. "Help yourself," said his friend, ere another minute had elapsed, as Barclay took up the bottle to fill his glass for the third time. "Long-abstinence has no doubt made you keen." "It certainly has, or else this is the finest article of wine that has ever passed my lips." 'It's not the best quality by a good deal; still it is pretty fair. But won't you try a mint-julep, or a punch, by way of variety?" "No objection," was the brief response. "Which will you choose?"