ligence。　　He　gazed　a　moment　at　me；　but　then　seemed　insensible　of　my　presence；　and　went　onhe；　once　the　most　courteous　and　well…bredto　babble　unintelligible　but　violent　reproaches　against　his　niece　and　servant；　because　he　himself　had　dropped　a　teacup　in　attempting　to　place　it　on　a　table　at　his　elbow。　　His　eyes　caught　a　momentary　fire　from　his　irritation；　but　he　struggled　in　vain　for　words　to　express　himself　adequately；　as；　looking　from　his　servant　to　his　niece；　and　then　to　the　table；　he　laboured　to　explain　that　they　had　placed　it　（though　it　touched　his　chair）　at　too　great　a　distance　from　him。
  The　young　person；　who　had　naturally　a　resigned　Madonna…like　expression　of　countenance；　listened　to　his　impatient　chiding　with　the　most　humble　submission；　checked　the　servant；　whose　less　delicate　feelings　would　have　entered　on　his　justification；　and　gradually；　by　the　sweet　and　soft　tone　of　her　voice；　soothed　to　rest　the　spirit　of　causeless　irritation。
  She　then　cast　a　look　towards　me；　which　expressed；　〃You　see　all　that　remains　of　him　whom　you　call　friend。〃　　It　seemed　also　to　say；　〃Your　longer　presence　here　can　only　be　distressing　to　us　all。〃
  〃Forgive　me；　young　lady；〃　I　said；　as　well　as　tears　would　permit；　〃I　am　a　person　deeply　obliged　to　your　uncle。　　My　name　is　Croftangry。〃
  〃Lord！　　and　that　I　should　not　hae　minded　ye；　Maister　Croftangry；〃　said　the　servant。　　〃Ay；　I　mind　my　master　had　muckle　fash　about　your　job。　　I　hae　heard　him　order　in　fresh　candles　as　midnight　chappit；　and　till't　again。　　Indeed；　ye　had　aye　his　gude　word；　Mr。　Croftangry；　for　a'　that　folks　said　about　you。〃
  〃Hold　your　tongue；　John；〃　said　the　lady；　somewhat　angrily；　and　then　continued；　addressing　herself　to　me；　〃I　am　sure；　sir；　you　must　be　sorry　to　see　my　uncle　in　this　state。　　I　know　you　are　his　friend。　　I　have　heard　him　mention　your　name；　and　wonder　he　never　heard　from　you。〃　　A　new　cut　this；　and　it　went　to　my　heart。　　But　she　continued；　〃I　really　do　not　know　if　it　is　right　that　any　shouldIf　my　uncle　should　know　you；　which　I　scarce　think　possible；　he　would　be　much　affected；　and　the　doctor　says　that　any　agitationBut　here　comes　Dr。　　to　give　his　own　opinion。〃
  Dr。　　entered。　　I　had　left　him　a　middle…aged　man。　　He　was　now　an　elderly　one；　but　still　the　same　benevolent　Samaritan；　who　went　about　doing　good；　and　thought　the　blessings　of　the　poor　as　good　a　recompense　of　his　professional　skill　as　the　gold　of　the　rich。
  He　looked　at　me　with　surprise；　but　the　young　lady　said　a　word　of　introduction；　and　I；　who　was　known　to　the　doctor　formerly；　hastened　to　complete　it。　　He　recollected　me　perfectly；　and　intimated　that　he　was　well　acquainted　with　the　reasons　I　had　for　being　deeply　interested　in　the　fate　of　his　patient。　　He　gave　me　a　very　melancholy　account　of　my　poor　friend；　drawing　me　for　that　purpose　a　little　apart　from　the　lady。　　〃The　light　of　life；〃　he　said；　〃was　trembling　in　the　socket；　he　scarcely　expected　it　would　ever　leap　up　even　into　a　momentary　flash；　but　more　was　impossible。〃　　He　then　stepped　towards　his　patient；　and　put　some　questions；　to　which　the　poor　invalid；　though　he　seemed　to　recognize　the　friendly　and　familiar　voice；　answered　only　in　a　faltering　and　uncertain　manner。
  The　young　lady；　in　her　turn；　had　drawn　back　when　the　doctor　approached　his　patient。　　〃You　see　how　it　is　with　him；〃　said　the　doctor；　addressing　me。　　〃I　have　heard　our　poor　friend；　in　one　of　the　most　eloquent　of　his　pleadings；　give　a　description　of　this　very　disease；　which　he　compared　to　the　tortures　inflicted　by　Mezentius　when　he　chained　the　dead　to　the　living。　　The　soul；　he　said；　is　imprisoned　in　its　dungeon　of　flesh；　and　though　retaining　its　natural　and　unalienable　properties；　can　no　more　exert　them　than　the　captive　enclosed　within　a　prison…house　can　act　as　a　free　agent。　　Alas！　　to　see　HIM；　who　could　so　well　describe　what　this　malady　was　in　others；　a　prey　himself　to　its　infirmities！　　I　shall　never　forget　the　solemn　tone　of　expression　with　which　he　summed　up　the　incapacities　of　the　paralyticthe　deafened　ear；　the　dimmed　eye；　the　crippled　limbsin　the　noble　words　of　Juvenal；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Omni　　　　　　Membrorum　damno　major；　dementia；　quae　nec　　　　　　Nomina　servorum；　nec　vultum　agnoscit　amici。'〃
  As　the　physician　repeated　these　lines；　a　flash　of　intelligence　seemed　to　revive　in　the　invalid's　eyesunk　againagain　struggled；　and　he　spoke　more　intelligibly　than　before；　and　in　the　tone　of　one　eager　to　say　something　which　he　felt　would　escape　him　unless　said　instantly。　　〃A　question　of　death…bed；　a　question　of　death…bed；　doctora　reduction　EX　CAPITE　LECTIWithering　against　Wilibusabout　the　MORBUS　SONTICUS。　　I　　pleaded　　the　　cause　　for　the　pursuerI；　andandwhy；　I　shall　forget　my　own　nameI；　andhe　that　was　the　wittiest　and　the　best…humoured　man　living〃
  The　description　enabled　the　doctor　to　fill　up　the　blank；　and　the　patient　joyfully　repeated　the　name　suggested。　　〃Ay；　ay；〃　he　said；　〃just　heHarrypoor　Harry〃　The　light　in　his　eye　died　away；　and　he　sunk　back　in　his　easy…chair。
  〃You　have　now　seen　more　of　our　poor　friend；　Mr。　Croftangry；〃　said　the　physician；　〃than　I　dared　venture　to　promise　you；　and　now　I　must　take　my　professional　authority　on　me；　and　ask　you　to　retire。　Miss　Sommerville　will；　I　am　sure；　let　you　know　if　a　moment　should　by　any　chance　occur　when　her　uncle　can　see　you。〃
  What　could　I　do？　　I　gave　my　card　to　the　young　lady；　and　taking　my　offering　from　my　bosom〃if　my　poor　friend；〃　I　said；　with　accents　as　broken　almost　as　his　own；　〃should　ask　where　this　came　from；　name　me；　and　say　from　the　most　obliged　and　most　grateful　man　alive。　　Say；　the　gold　of　which　it　is　composed　was　saved　by　grains　at　a　time；　and　was　hoarded　with　as　much　avarice　as　ever　was　a　miser's。　　To　bring　it　here　I　have　come　a　thousand　miles；　and　now；　alas；　I　find　him　thus！〃
  I　laid　the　box　on　the　table；　and　was　retiring　with　a　lingering　step。　　The　eye　of　the　invalid　was　caught　by　it；　as　that　of　a　child　by　a　glittering　toy；　and　with　infantine　impatience　he　faltered　out　inquiries　of　his　niece。　　With　gentle　mildness　she　repeated　again　and　again　who　I　was；　and　why　I　came；　etc。　　I　was　about　to　turn；　and　hasten　from　a　scene　so　painful；　when　the　physician　laid　his　hand　on　my　sleeve。　　〃Stop；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　a　change。〃
  There　was；　indeed；　and　a　marked　one。　　A　faint　glow　spread　over　his　pallid　featuresthey　seemed　to　gain　the　look　of　intelligence　which　belongs　to　vitalityhis　eye　once　more　kindledhis　lip　colouredand　drawing　himself　up　out　of　the　listless　posture　he　had　hitherto　maintained；　he　rose　without　assistance。　　The　doctor　and　the　servant　ran　to　give　him　their　support。　　He　waved　them　aside；　and　they　were　contented　to　place　themselves　in　such　a　position　behind　as　might　ensure　against　accident；　should　his　newly…acquired　strength　decay　as　suddenly　as　it　had　revived。
  〃My　dear　Croftangry；〃　he　said；　in　the　tone　of　kindness　of　other　days；　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　returned。　　You　find　me　but　poorly；　but　my　little　niece　here　and　Dr。　　are　very　kind。　　God　bless　you；　my　dear　friend！　　We　shall　not　meet　again　till　we　meet　in　a　better　world。〃
  I　pressed　his　extended　hand　to　my　lipsI　pressed　it　to　my　bosom　I　would　fain　have　flung　myself　on　my　knees；　but　the　doctor；　leaving　the　patient　to　the　young　lady　and　the　servant；　who　wheeled　forward　his　chair；　and　were　replacing　him　in　it；　hurried　me　out　of　the　room。　　〃My　dear　sir；〃　he　said；　〃you　ought　to　be　satisfied；　you　have　seen　our　poor　invalid　more　like　his　former　self　than　he　has　been　for　months；　or　than　he　may　be　perhaps　again　until　all　is　over。　　The　whole　Faculty　could　not　have　assured　such　an　interval。　　I　must　see　whether　anything　can　be　derived　from　it　to　improve　the　general　health。　　Pray；　begone。〃　　The　last　argument　hurried　me　from　the　spot；　agitated　by　a　crowd　of　feelings；　all　of　them　painful。
  When　I　had　overcome　the　shock　of　this　great　disappointment；　I　renewed　gradually　my　acquaintance　with　one　or　two　old　companions；　who；　though　of　infinitely　less　interest　to　my　feelings　than　my　unfortunate　friend；　served　to　relieve　the　pressure　of　actual　solitude；　and　who　were　not　perhaps　the　less　open　to　my　advances　that　I　was　a　bachelor　somewhat　stricken　in　years；　newly　arrived　from　foreign　parts；　and　certainly　independent；　if　not　wealthy。
  I　was　considered　as　a　tolerable　subject　of　speculation　by　some；　and　I　could　not　be　burdensome　to　any。　　I　was　therefore；　according　to　the　ordinary　rule　of　Edinburgh　hospitality；　a　welcome　guest　in　several　respectable　families。　　But　I　found　no　one　who　could　replace　the　loss　I　had　sustained　in　my　best　friend　and　benefactor。　　I　wanted　something　more　than　mere　companionship　could　give　me；　and　where　was　I　to　look　for　it？　　Among　the　scattered　remnants　of　those　that　had　been　my　gay　friends　of　yore？　Alas！
  〃Many　a　lad　I　loved　was　dead；　　　　And　many　a　lass　grown　old。〃
  Besides；　all　community　of　ties　between　us　had　ceased　to　exist；　and　such　of　former　friends　as　were　still　in　the　world　held　their　life　in　a　different　tenor　from　what　I　did。
  Some　had　become　misers；　and　were　as　eager　in　saving　sixpence　as　ever　they　had　been　in　spending　a　guinea。　　Some　had　turned　agriculturists；　their　talk　was　of　oxen；　and　they　were　only　fit　companions　for　graziers。　　Some　stuck　to　cards；　and　though　no　longer　deep　gamblers；　rather　played　small　game　than　sat　out。　This　I　particularly　des