CHAPTER VII.

WE could not help remarking upon the dreadful prevalence of the sin of blasphemy, and irreverence of God, which presented so many opportunities of warning and rebuking; and as we approached near our cousin's residence, we began to anticipate the sort of offences we should have to encounter. I entreated him for once to beware of being too hasty in his reproof; for as we should, in all probability, have a long interview, we had better not alarm our young friend too soon, but by waiting gain the better opportunity of convicting him for his amendment.

You impose a hard task upon me, he replied; but I will not promise; I will feel myself at liberty to be governed by circumstances.

I submitted to this determination; and we were soon in the drawing room, where the family party was assembled. The introduction being over, we had time to observe our new acquaintance, who was

a handsome genteel looking youth, and from the whole appearance of the young man, we should have felt exceedingly prepossessed in his favour, had not the knowledge of the evil of his tongue been already communicated. He seemed in the midst of some story, which animated his countenance, and he was standing up.

I beg we may not interrupt the conversation-proceed, I pray, just as though we had not intruded on your subject.

The young man accepted the permission with a courteous bow of the head, and proceeded.

You must know, mother, that he mistook the whole of my intention, for I declare, in the Name of God, I meant no offence.

I saw the involuntary shrug of my friend's shoulders, and our host did not fail to observe the instantaneous effect upon him.

God bless my soul, sir, I said, allow me to convince you, for upon my life you totally mistake my meaning. I explained and explained, but he was in such an ungovernable rage, he would believe no other than that I was wishing to make a plausible excuse. At last I felt myself

growing hot, and in as great a rage as himself, for I was devilish provoked at his stupidity. But, as God would have it, by the luckiest chance, my college friend came in at the moment, or I swear I believe we should have ended it by a pistol shot.

My friend took out his pencil, and tearing a leaf out of his pocket book, I supposed he intended to withdraw his mind from this wicked style of speaking, by engaging himself in some other way.

Od's Ounds, man, says Tomlinson, what are you about? Do you mean to blow out the brains of your best friend? Take my advice, sit down in that corner and say the Lord's prayer, and by the time you come to the end you will perhaps be cool enough to hear reason. This sort of argument did him some good, and he began to swallow his rage; or, by heaven, mother, you would have either buried your son, or have seen him flee over the channel to escape a trial.

My mind was exercised many ways during this extraordinary account. The mother seemed to listen to the whole as to an interesting narrative, in which her son had been marvellously delivered from some dreadful danger, but without the

slightest expression of repugnance to the blasphemous use of God's Name. The father seemed to reflect with something like displeasure, at the ease with which the impending duel was intimated.—Our cousin was suffused with crimson blushes, and was stroking the hair of her little Harriet, in such a way as to lay it over her ears, pressing her hands close as they passed over them, as if to stop them from receiving the pernicious sounds, the child all the time listening with fixed attention and losing nothing of what was said. My friend appeared to be making memorandums, and the master of the family was watching the whole scene with a scrutinizing and grave reflection, whilst the young man, who was so absorbed in the detail of a subject in which he made himself the hero, looked full of self complacence; and yet I could not but think the whole tissue of his narration sat upon him like an affected garment, which was not properly his own.

A little relief took place by the young man's father asking some questions about the family of Tomlinson, when something seemed to occur to his mind in which Tomlinson's connexions were concerned, he uttered a little inward laugh,

and happening at the time to look at Harriet, she said,

You are laughing at me, Frederick. No, Harriet, he answered, but wishing damnation to himself if he were. Did you not say something wicked, Frederick?

He blushed slightly, but resolutely threw back the mounting witness, saying, O you little innocent, you are only just out of the egg shell.

Her father immediately rose, and going up to his wife, My dear, he said, the nursery is the best place at present for Harriet, send her to play with Clara.

Gladly, she answered, with an expression of gratitude, I will take her myself. As she crossed the room, she passed close by me, and said in a low reproachful voice, Henry, Henry, what are you about?

Patience, patience, Fanny, I answered, come back again, and wait the issue.

I even thought I saw a look of resentment glanced towards me from her husband.

This move stopt all conversation for a little while; but the voluble self complacency of the young man could not keep long silent; and endeavouring to draw

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