“In consideration of certain mental endowments which it is unnecessary to specify, and in further consideration of one thousand louis d’or, I being aged one year and one month, do hereby make over to the bearer of this agreement all my right, title, and appurtenance in the shadow called my soul. (Signed) A....” {*4} (Here His Majesty repeated a name which I did not feel justified in indicating more unequivocally.) {*4} Quere-Arouet? “A clever fellow that,” resumed he; “but like you, Monsieur Bon-Bon, he was mistaken about the soul. The soul a shadow, truly! The soul a shadow; Ha! ha! ha!—he! he! he!—hu! hu! hu! Only think of a fricasseed shadow!” “_Only_ think—hiccup!—of a fricasséed shadow!” exclaimed our hero, whose faculties were becoming much illuminated by the profundity of his Majesty’s discourse. “Only think of a hiccup!—fricasséed shadow!! Now, damme!—hiccup!—humph! If _I_ would have been such a—hiccup!—nincompoop! _My_ soul, Mr.—humph!” “_Your_ soul, Monsieur Bon-Bon?” “Yes, sir—hiccup!—_my_ soul is—” “What, sir?” “_No_ shadow, damme!” “Did you mean to say—” “Yes, sir, my soul is—hiccup!—humph!—yes, sir.” “Did you not intend to assert—” “My soul is—hiccup!—peculiarly qualified for—hiccup!—a—” “What, sir?” “Stew.” “Ha!” “Soufflee.” “Eh!” “Fricassee.” “Indeed!” “Ragout and fricandeau—and see here, my good fellow! I’ll let you have it—hiccup!—a bargain.” Here the philosopher slapped his Majesty upon the back. “Couldn’t think of such a thing,” said the latter calmly, at the same time rising from his seat. The metaphysician stared. “Am supplied at present,” said his Majesty. “Hiccup!—e-h?” said the philosopher. “Have no funds on hand.” “What?” “Besides, very unhandsome in me—” “Sir!” “To take advantage of—” “Hiccup!” “Your present disgusting and ungentlemanly situation.” Here the visitor bowed and withdrew—in what manner could not precisely be ascertained—but in a well-concerted effort to discharge a bottle at “the villain,” the slender chain was severed that depended from the ceiling, and the metaphysician prostrated by the downfall of the lamp. SOME WORDS WITH A MUMMY. The _symposium_ of the preceding evening had been a little too much for my nerves. I had a wretched headache, and was desperately drowsy. Instead of going out therefore to spend the evening as I had proposed, it occurred to me that I could not do a wiser thing than just eat a mouthful of supper and go immediately to bed.