"Why the devil," I asked, "did you not give me this before?"

66 You not tell me to."

"No, for how could I know you had it?"

"Yes, malek know everything; poor gaowalaman know nothing at all."

This made me comprehend why no eatables had been offered to me, while I was ravenous as a wolf in winter, notwithstanding I had kept my jaws in perpetual motion with all sorts of fruit. I therefore ordered tiffin, and returned to the house to read the letter; by which I learned that the frigate had sailed, after some little inquiry for me at my usual quarters. This was a great relief, and my heart leaped with joy.

De Ruyter concluded his letter by saying he had been detained by Walter, who was placed under arrest while the affair of the Scotch lieutenant was investigated; and notwithstanding every lie had been invented to implicate Walter, De Ruyter's evidence acquitted him. The ship was delayed one day, to inquire into the affair, and to remove the Scotchman on board; for he was very ill, spitting blood, with two of his ribs stove in; so that, together with the dislocation of his jaw, and loss of ivory, I considered my debt to him handsomely cancelled, and sponged the rascal from my memory, I thought for ever. Walter had offered him satisfaction, but he was surfeited with what he had already received. I afterwards learned that he never ventured on shore at Bombay, saying that malaria, musquitoes, and scorpions, made it worse than hell; but what he dreaded more than the cobra-di-capella itself, was the sight of Walter there.

I sent a cooley to bring me a hooka, bathed in the tank, and, with a book, the "Life of Paul Jones," lay under the trees, eating my dessert after an abundant Indian lunch. A lightness, elasticity, and exuberance of joy, never felt before, thrilled through me. It was the first day I could number of entire happiness; nor did I then, as in more mature years we do, dash the present hour with thinking on the ensuing one. The only happy life appeared to be a peasant's; and his limited wants the cause of his being happy. Forthwith I

essayed it, threw my torn and soiled garments from me, twisted a piece of striped cotton, as cummerbund, round my waist, and put a turban on my head. Thus, barefooted, with a cocoa-knife in my hand, and well greased with cocoa-nut oil, I sallied into the grove, and, with the peasant's family ascended the trees, learnt how to tap them, and how to hang the toddy-pots. This and gardening made my time pass on so smoothly, that, on the third day, when I received notice of De Ruyter's being on the road, I felt it as an interruption on my quiet and my solitude.

However I mounted the yâk, a bamboo in one hand and my knife in the other, and went forth, preceded by two coolies, to meet him. Suddenly turning a tope of neem trees, he was before me, occupied in narrating a history of lion-hunting to Walter, and so complete was my metamorphosis, that he was passing on without recognition, until his quick eye rested on his own yâk. I hailed him with-" Holloa! De Ruyter,— what cheer, ho!" They pulled up in astonishment; and, after surveying me an instant, they set up such a wild roar of laughter that I thought them out of their senses. De Ruyter rolled off his horse, and held his sides, exclaiming, "By Heaven, you'll kill me, you madcap!"

Looking very serious, I observed, "I am not aware of any thing sufficiently ludicrous to excite your merriment. I am rigged in the fashion of the country; and it is best adapted to the climate, is it not? If you like to have some fresh toddy, here are these fellows with my cudgeree-pots full of the freshest, and of my own tapping."

We sat down on the bank, talked, and, when they were weary of their mirth, I remounted my yâk, preceding them to the bungalo.

We passed two days of unalloyed happiness. We climbed the hills, we chased the jackalls, regardless of heat or toil; we sung and danced, not as in the days of slavery from the excitement of drink, for we were drunk with joy.

De Ruyter and I were both, from choice, of plain and simple habits. He never committed any excesses, and those I was guilty of arose from my volcanic materials, which were fired like powder, from any accidental spark, though struck by an

ass's hoof. In everything I undertook, no matter how ridiculous, I must out-herod Herod, brooking no compeer. My brow now burns with shame in remembering how many follies (to give them the mildest term) I then, and afterwards committed. Severity and constant thwarting had accumulated within me so much of the subtle spirit of opposition and obstinacy, that it has mingled itself with every action of my life; while my judgment and better feelings have in vain struggled to stem the stream that bore me on. False lights have distorted the fairest and brightest scenes of my existence; converting that which was really good and beautiful to blackness, and leading me to act the characters I most despised. Thus I have played the drunkard, the glutton, the braggart, and the bully. My wrong view of things must have been the effect of education and example, for by nature I was the reverse of all this, and when acting on sudden impulses, I have seldom erred.

A

FTER the second day Walter was compelled to return to his regiment. As he was delighted with his new profession, so was he determined to be exemplary in the fulfilment of his duty. Though we had talked day and night with little intermission, we could not afford time to say a word either of the past, or of our plans for the future. We therefore agreed to have a speedy meeting to discuss these points. On the morning of his departure he said, "You are now a free agent and an idler. We are encamped on the artilleryground. Come to my tent. What I have, you may command.

I wish to Heaven you would procure a commission in our regiment you could do so."

"No, no, Walter; the badge of servitude, blue or red, I have shaken off for ever. King nor company shall bribe me with their gold, their honours, or their frippery, to give up my birthright of free agency. And for what ?-bread ?—I can find its substitute on every bush."

"Ay," he replied; "but you love glory, and cannot live without broils and fighting."

"If so I can find enough of it in the world, and choose my own ground and cause, not fight like a butcher's dog, on compulsion, because I am fed on my master's offal, and feed with sixpence a day. You, Walter, will be slipped like a dog from his collar against these subdued and trampled-on slaves. Your masters foment disunion and enmity among them, and then despatch their myrmidons to seize upon their wealth and country, to make them helots, or exterminate them as rebels and traitors. Is this glory? Now, if I want fighting, I shall most assuredly change my colours, and battle against tyrants and oppressors wherever they are to be found—and where are they not?"

disturb these few last Perhaps I think with my sentiments; but I

To this he said, "Do not let us minutes at parting with discussion. you-perhaps you know that such are am not made of the same tough stuff as you are. Alas! my poor mother has known nothing but sorrow and disappointment ! Her existence has been cheerless. In my helpless. years no hand but her's caressed me I knew no resting-place but on her bosom-and when I could distinguish one from another, I never left her dear presence. When I was ill she lulled me to sleep by singing and by her harp, and sealed my eye-lids with kisses and tears. Once, in the wild spirit of healthy boyhood, I asked her-heaven knows how innocently! -for my father. She laid her head on the table, and the room shook with her convulsive sobs."

Walter turned away his head, struggling in vain to speak. At length, with an effort, he continued, "You may think me a boy still to talk thus, for you do not know the pure and intense love which two hearts united, and indifferent to all

others, can feel-a friendless mother and her orphan child! How can I, knowing that the dear angel has stinted herself, perhaps of the necessaries of life, in order to remove me from a situation in which she thought I suffered-for I forbore to tell her so directly-how can I, now that her exertions and prayers have been heard, destroy her fondest hopes? At least I am removed to a comparative state of happiness, and after two years, I shall be allowed leave of absence to go to England, and then-but tell me, can I-would you-deny such a parent anything?"

I had followed his example in turning away my face, for I could not reply. So it is in civilized life!—we were ashamed of our feelings when natural, and glory, if not in atrocity, in assumed apathy.

He then added, "Come to me, and that speedily. We will talk over your plans, and remember, whatever you do, or I do, we are always brothers. Here, take this book-it has almost unfitted me for my new profession-it is written for you, and for men with souls like yours. I must try to forget it, but who can estrange his mind from truth?”

He wrung my hand, and was out of sight. When I looked towards De Ruyter, who had been calmly smoking his hooka under a tree, I perceived he was rubbing his eyes with his rough and red hand. "That Walter," said he, "will make women of us all. Now, I loved my mother too-but cannot talk of her. And like him, I had no father-at least I never knew him!' He then, as was his custom when moved, bent his head to the ground, and smoked with redoubled violence. After a pause, he went on with, "That is a good-hearted fellow, but he has sucked too much of his mother's milk-it has almost made him a girl. What book is that he has given you? his mother's bible ?-or a drawling psalter?-or a cookery book?-or an army list?" He took it out of my hand. "Ha!" he cried out, " Volney's Ruins of Empires, and Laws of Nature! By the God of Nature the fellow has some soul ! Had I known this sooner, I would have worked him to a better purpose!" But, after a moment's reflection, he said, "No! a crooked stick, though straightened, is ever struggling to resume its natural bend. I confide in men like