At the first bursting of the shell, when that desperately jealous man was raging in the parlour, incensed by the fumes both of wine and love, Cradell had felt that the affair was disagreeably painful.

But on the morning of the third day,--for he had passed two nights on his friend Fisher's sofa,--he had begun to be somewhat proud of it, and did not dislike to hear Mrs Lupex's name in the mouths of the other clerks.

When, therefore, Fisher read to him the letter from Guestwick, he hardly was pleased with his friend's tone.

"Ha, ha, ha," said he, laughing.

"That's just what I wanted him to say.