I would crave his honour Mr.
Pleydell's judgment, always with his best leisure, to expound a disputed passage.' 'I am not in the vein, Mr.Sampson,' answered Pleydell; 'here's metal more attractive.

I do not despair to engage these two young ladies in a glee or a catch, wherein I, even I myself, will adventure myself for the bass part.

Hang De Lyra, man; keep him for a fitter season.' The disappointed Dominie shut his ponderous tome, much marvelling in his mind how a person possessed of the lawyer's erudition could give his mind to these frivolous toys.

But the Counsellor, indifferent to the high character for learning which he was trifling away, filled himself a large glass of Burgundy, and, after preluding a little with a voice somewhat the worse for the wear, gave the ladies a courageous invitation to join in 'We be Three Poor Mariners,' and accomplished his own part therein with great eclat.
'Are you not withering your roses with sitting up so late, my young ladies ?' said the Colonel.
'Not a bit, sir,' answered Julia; 'your friend Mr.Pleydell threatens to become a pupil of Mr.Sampson's to-morrow, so we must make the most of our conquest to-night.' This led to another musical trial of skill, and that to lively conversation.

At length, when the solitary sound of one o'clock had long since resounded on the ebon ear of night, and the next signal of the advance of time was close approaching, Mannering, whose impatience had long subsided into disappointment and despair, looked at his watch and said, 'We must now give them up,' when at that instant--But what then befell will require a separate chapter..