young　manat　these　letters；　I　sayone　hundred　and　twenty…four
  epistles　from　every　part　of　India　（not　including　one　from　the
  Governor…General；　and　six　from　his　brother；　Colonel　Wellesley；）
  one　hundred　and　twenty…four　proposals　for　the　hand　of　Miss　Jowler！
  Cornet　Gahagan；〃　he　continued；　〃I　wish　to　think　well　of　you：　you
  are　the　bravest；　the　most　modest；　and；　perhaps；　the　handsomest　man
  in　our　corps；　but　you　have　not　got　a　single　rupee。　　You　ask　me　for
  Julia；　and　you　do　not　possess　even　an　anna！〃（Here　the　old　rogue
  grinned；　as　if　he　had　made　a　capital　pun）。〃No；　no；〃　said　he；
  waxing　good…natured；　〃Gagy；　my　boy；　it　is　nonsense！　　Julia；　love；
  retire　with　your　mamma；　this　silly　young　gentleman　will　remain　and
  smoke　a　pipe　with　me。〃
  I　took　one；　it　was　the　bitterest　chillum　I　ever　smoked　in　my　life。
  。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。
  I　am　not　going　to　give　here　an　account　of　my　military　services；
  they　will　appear　in　my　great　national　autobiography；　in　forty
  volumes；　which　I　am　now　preparing　for　the　press。　　I　was　with　my
  regiment　in　all　Wellesley's　brilliant　campaigns；　then　taking　dawk；
  I　travelled　across　the　country　north…eastward；　and　had　the　honor　of
  fighting　by　the　side　of　Lord　Lake　at　Laswaree；　Deeg；　Furruckabad；
  Futtyghur；　and　Bhurtpore：　but　I　will　not　boast　of　my　actionsthe
  military　man　knows　them；　MY　SOVEREIGN　appreciates　them。　　If　asked
  who　was　the　bravest　man　of　the　Indian　army；　there　is　not　an　officer
  belonging　to　it　who　would　not　cry　at　once；　GAHAGAN。　　The　fact　is；　I
  was　desperate：　I　cared　not　for　life；　deprived　of　Julia　Jowler。
  With　Julia's　stony　looks　ever　before　my　eyes；　her　father's　stern
  refusal　in　my　ears；　I　did　not　care；　at　the　close　of　the　campaign；
  again　to　seek　her　company　or　to　press　my　suit。　　We　were　eighteen
  months　on　service；　marching　and　countermarching；　and　fighting
  almost　every　other　day：　to　the　world　I　did　not　seem　altered；　but
  the　world　only　saw　the　face；　and　not　the　seared　and　blighted　heart
  within　me。　　My　valor；　always　desperate；　now　reached　to　a　pitch　of
  cruelty；　I　tortured　my　grooms　and　grass…cutters　for　the　most
  trifling　offence　or　error；I　never　in　action　spared　a　man；I
  sheared　off　three　hundred　and　nine　heads　in　the　course　of　that
  single　campaign。
  Some　influence；　equally　melancholy；　seemed　to　have　fallen　upon　poor
  old　Jowler。　　About　six　months　after　we　had　left　Dum　Dum；　he
  received　a　parcel　of　letters　from　Benares　（whither　his　wife　had
  retired　with　her　daughter）；　and　so　deeply　did　they　seem　to　weigh
  upon　his　spirits；　that　he　ordered　eleven　men　of　his　regiment　to　be
  flogged　within　two　days；　but　it　was　against　the　blacks　that　he
  chiefly　turned　his　wrath。　　Our　fellows；　in　the　heat　and　hurry　of
  the　campaign；　were　in　the　habit　of　dealing　rather　roughly　with
  their　prisoners；　to　extract　treasure　from　them：　they　used　to　pull
  their　nails　out　by　the　root；　to　boil　them　in　kedgeree　pots；　to　flog
  them　and　dress　their　wounds　with　cayenne　pepper；　and　so　on。
  Jowler；　when　he　heard　of　these　proceedings；　which　before　had　always
  justly　exasperated　him　（he　was　a　humane　and　kind　little　man）；　used
  now　to　smile　fiercely　and　say；　〃D…　the　black　scoundrels！　　Serve
  them　right；　serve　them　right！〃
  One　day；　about　a　couple　of　miles　in　advance　of　the　column；　I　had
  been　on　a　foraging…party　with　a　few　dragoons；　and　was　returning
  peaceably　to　camp；　when　of　a　sudden　a　troop　of　Mahrattas　burst　on
  us　from　a　neighboring　mango…tope；　in　which　they　had　been　hidden：　in
  an　instant　three　of　my　men's　saddles　were　empty；　and　I　was　left
  with　but　seven　more　to　make　head　against　at　least　thirty　of　these
  vagabond　black　horsemen。　　I　never　saw　in　my　life　a　nobler　figure
  than　the　leader　of　the　troopmounted　on　a　splendid　black　Arab：　he
  was　as　tall；　very　nearly；　as　myself；　he　wore　a　steel　cap　and　a
  shirt　of　mail；　and　carried　a　beautiful　French　carbine；　which　had
  already　done　execution　upon　two　of　my　men。　　I　saw　that　our　only
  chance　of　safety　lay　in　the　destruction　of　this　man。　　I　shouted　to
  him　in　a　voice　of　thunder　（in　the　Hindustanee　tongue　of　course）；
  〃Stop；　dog；　if　you　dare；　and　encounter　a　man！〃
  In　reply　his　lance　came　whirling　in　the　air　over　my　head；　and
  mortally　transfixed　poor　Foggarty　of　ours；　who　was　behind　me。
  Grinding　my　teeth　and　swearing　horribly；　I　drew　that　scimitar　which
  never　yet　failed　its　blow；*　and　rushed　at　the　Indian。　　He　came　down
  at　full　gallop；　his　own　sword　making　ten　thousand　gleaming　circles
  in　the　air；　shrieking　his　cry　of　battle。
  *　In　my　affair　with　Macgillicuddy；　I　was　fool　enough　to　go　out　with
  small…swordsmiserable　weapons　only　fit　for　tailors。G。　O'G。　G。
  The　contest　did　not　last　an　instant。　　With　my　first　blow　I　cut　off
  his　sword…arm　at　the　wrist；　my　second　I　levelled　at　his　head。　　I
  said　that　he　wore　a　steel　cap；　with　a　gilt　iron　spike　of　six
  inches；　and　a　hood　of　chain　mail。　　I　rose　in　my　stirrups　and
  delivered　〃ST。　GEORGE；〃　my　sword　caught　the　spike　exactly　on　the
  point；　split　it　sheer　in　two；　cut　crashing　through　the　steel　cap
  and　hood；　and　was　only　stopped　by　a　ruby　which　he　wore　in　his　back…
  plate。　　His　head；　cut　clean　in　two　between　the　eyebrows　and
  nostrils；　even　between　the　two　front　teeth；　fell　one　side　on　each
  shoulder；　and　he　galloped　on　till　his　horse　was　stopped　by　my　men；
  who　were　not　a　little　amused　at　the　feat。
  As　I　had　expected；　the　remaining　ruffians　fled　on　seeing　their
  leader's　fate。　　I　took　home　his　helmet　by　way　of　curiosity；　and　we
  made　a　single　prisoner；　who　was　instantly　carried　before　old
  Jowler。
  We　asked　the　prisoner　the　name　of　the　leader　of　the　troop；　he　said
  it　was　Chowder　Loll。
  〃Chowder　Loll！〃　shrieked　Colonel　Jowler。　　〃O　fate！　thy　hand　is
  here！〃　　He　rushed　wildly　into　his　tentthe　next　day　applied　for
  leave　of　absence。　　Gutch　took　the　command　of　the　regiment；　and　I
  saw　him　no　more　for　some　time。
  。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。
  As　I　had　distinguished　myself　not　a　little　during　the　war；　General
  Lake　sent　me　up　with　despatches　to　Calcutta；　where　Lord　Wellesley
  received　me　with　the　greatest　distinction。　　Fancy　my　surprise；　on
  going　to　a　ball　at　Government　House；　to　meet　my　old　friend　Jowler；
  my　trembling；　blushing；　thrilling　delight；　when　I　saw　Julia　by　his
  side！
  Jowler　seemed　to　blush　too　when　he　beheld　me。　　I　thought　of　my
  former　passages　with　his　daughter。　　〃Gagy　my　boy；〃　says　he；　shaking
  hands；　glad　to　see　you。　　Old　friend；　Juliacome　to　tiffin
  Hodgson's　palebrave　fellow　Gagy。〃　　Julia　did　not　speak；　but　she
  turned　ashy　pale；　and　fixed　upon　me　her　awful　eyes！　　I　fainted
  almost；　and　uttered　some　incoherent　words。　　Julia　took　my　hand；
  gazed　at　me　still；　and　said；　〃Come！〃　　Need　I　say　I　went？
  I　will　not　go　over　the　pale　ale　and　currie…bhaut　again；　but　this　I
  know；　that　in　half　an　hour　I　was　as　much　in　love　as　I　ever　had
  been：　and　that　in　three　weeks　Iyes；　Iwas　the　accepted　lover　of
  Julia！　　I　did　not　pause　to　ask　where　were　the　one　hundred　and
  twenty…four　offers？　why　I；　refused　before；　should　be　accepted　now？
  I　only　felt　that　I　loved　her；　and　was　happy！
  。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。
  One　night；　one　memorable　night；　I　could　not　sleep；　and；　with　a
  lover's　pardonable　passion；　wandered　solitary　through　the　city　of
  palaces　until　I　came　to　the　house　which　contained　my　Julia。　　I
  peeped　into　the　compoundall　was　still；　I　looked　into　the　veranda
  all　was　dark；　except　a　lightyes；　one　lightand　it　was　in
  Julia's　chamber！　　My　heart　throbbed　almost　to　stilling。　　I　wouldI
  WOULD　advance；　if　but　to　gaze　upon　her　for　a　moment；　and　to　bless
  her　as　she　slept。　　I　DID　look；　I　DID　advance；　and；　O　heaven！　I　saw
  a　lamp　burning；　Mrs。　Jow。　in　a　nightdress；　with　a　very　dark　baby　in
  her　arms；　and　Julia　looking　tenderly　at　an　ayah；　who　was　nursing
  another。
  〃Oh；　mamma；〃　said　Julia；　〃what　would　that　fool　Gahagan　say　if　he
  knew　all？〃
  〃HE　DOES　KNOW　ALL！〃　shouted　I；　springing　forward；　and　tearing　down
  the　tatties　from　the　window。　　Mrs。　Jow。　ran　shrieking　out　of　the
  room；　Julia　fainted；　the　cursed　black　children　squalled；　and　their
  dd　nurse　fell　on　her　knees；　gabbling　some　infernal　jargon　of
  Hindustanee。　　Old　Jowler　at　this　juncture　entered　with　a　candle　and
  a　drawn　sword。
  〃Liar！　scoundrel！　deceiver！〃　shouted　I。　　〃Turn；　ruffian；　and　defend
  yourself！〃　　But　old　Jowler；　when　he　saw　me；　only　whistled；　looked
  at　his　lifeless　daughter；　and　slowly　left　the　room。
  Why　continue　the　tale？　　I　need　not　now　account　for　Jowler's　gloom
  on　receiving　his　letters　from　Benaresfor　his　exclamation　upon　the
  death　of　the　Indian　chieffor　his　desire　to　marry　his　daughter：
  the　woman　I　was　wooing　was　no　longer　Miss　Julia　Jowler；　she　was
  Mrs。　Chowder　Loll！
  CHAPTER　II。
  ALLYGHUR　AND　LASWAREE。
  I　sat　down　to　write　gravely　and　sadly；　for　（since　the　appearance　of
  some　of　my　adventures　in　a　monthly　magazine）　unprincipled　men　have
  endeavored　to　rob　me　of　the　only　good　I　pos