"That would, on the contrary, be to _humble_ your Vanity. In a Word, Sir, I cannot! you must grant me my Pride, instead of pretending to gratify your Vanity; and my Pride is to be a free Man, and speak the Truth unpaid." "Well, you are an Eccentricity. I'm afraid you won't find it answer in the long Run. I'll tell you what I'll do; for I _must_ do Something. _Cave_ will flout at the very idea of publishing Poems with such a Dedication as yours; permit me the Use of your Manuscript for a Day or two. I'll read a Passage of it here and there at my Coffee-House, and ditto at _Dodsley's_, sing its Praises, and make a Mystery of its Author; instead of offering it him for Publication, I'll wait till he makes Advances to me. See if that won't do!" "Mr. _Caryl_, you are making me your Slave--I mean, your Debtor, for Life!" "Why, a Debtor _is_ a sort of Slave to his Creditor, you _free Man_! See how soon you are chained! However, don't let us reckon our Chickens before they are hatched. The Plan may take, or may fail. Farewell." And I heard him lightly run down Stairs; and looking softly out of my Window, I could see Mr. _Fenwick_ leaning on his Window-Sill, his Cheek resting on his Hand, in profound and, I doubt not, blissful Reverie. Perhaps a Man more peacefully happy than he was at that Moment did not exist. [Illustration] CHAPTER IV. _The Chinese Parlour._ Mrs. _Gatty's_ Fever having now turned, 'tis incredible the Gratitude she expressed to me for all my Care of her during the course of it. I may say that during the whole Term, the only Concern Lady _Betty_ shewed whether she were likely to sink or swim, was conveyed in a single Message, and that of the briefest; to know, was she about yet? a likely Thing, when the Girl was at that Moment in a Fever-Lethargy! _Gatty_ took it mighty little to Heart, I must say for her, when she learned how little Recollection of her had been intimated; and she said, with a Smile, she was ready to wish they should forget her altogether, so content was she to remain, and so loth to go back. And now her Appetite mended apace, and she began to regain Colour and Flesh, and the Chamber was fumigated, and she had a warm Bath, and Dr. _Elwes_ pronounced that she might go below with Safety to herself and others. We resolved to make a little Festival of it, and asked him to sup with us, which he cheerfully consented to; and I had Pleasure in combing out _Gatty's_ long fine Hair, which she was yet unequal to doing herself, and arranging her Dress with some Air of Smartness. After this, she reclined in the Arm-Chair by the Window, to repose herself a little before she went down Stairs. Meanwhile, I tended a Rose that grew in a Pot that stood in the Window-Sill, and had just finished watering it, when, as Ill-Luck would have it, the Water, filtering too quickly through the Pot, descended copiously on some one who had got his Head out of the Window beneath.