Have you seen young Nugent lately?
Does he seem cheerful ?" "Yes, but he is not," was the reply.
"Well, it's natural for the young to marry," said the other, gravely.
"Murchison will be the next to go, I expect." "Possibly," returned Hardy, with affected calmness.
"Blaikie was saying something about it this morning," resumed Swann, regarding him from half-closed lids, "but he was punching and tapping me all about the ribs while he was talking, and I didn't catch all he said, but I think it's all arranged.

Murchison is there nearly every day, I understand; I suppose you meet him there ?" Mr.Hardy, whistling softly, rose and walked round the room, uncorking medicine bottles and sniffing at their contents.

A smile of unaffected pleasure lit up his features as he removed the stopper from one particularly pungent mixture.
[Illustration: "Sniffing at their contents."] "Two tablespoonfuls three times a day," he read, slowly.

"When did you have the last, Swann?
Shall I ring for the nurse ?" The invalid shook his head impatiently.

"You're an ungrateful dog," he muttered, "or you would tell me how your affair is going.