The due season is now, Hiram, whilst I am in sorest want.

What can I do? Take all I have take the panniersh from Balaam'sh back, and the clothesh from my own--she can have no

'There's no sense in that. A roof to shelter me, and a little food to eat for a day or two-that's all I ask for.'

The Jew was silent. He looked fixedly into his companion's face with an air of calculating scrutiny.

It is all I ask,' repeated the woman. 'Come, grant me this. It may be better for you than for me, Hiram; for you are pretty well knocked up, and it may be good to have some one about you.'

There appeared to be something in the persistence of the woman, and in the expression of her cold gray eyes, which Hiram did not like. He stood silent-looked down on the ground, then into her face-down on the ground again, then into her face again, with a wistful, uneasy air. The woman made no sign or gesture of impatience, but stood waiting to hear his determination with closely shut lips and eager eyes.

Presently Hiram turned away with a sudden start, seized the bridle of his ass, and led the beast forward. 'Come,' said he, having apparently made up his mind to answer the request in the affirmative. Hiram ish old and weak, she may be usheful to him; Hiram ish poor and wretched, she cannot rob him! To-day ish Wedneshday; she shall have food and lodging till Shaturday, which ish the blesshed Shabbath.'

He continued his way, and the woman resumed the position she had before occupied, walking with firm and vigorous action by his side.

They had barely advanced a hundred yards, before a figure emerged from behind a fragment of rock by the side of the way, and stood looking curiously after them.

After trudging for more than an hour, during which the feeble Hiram, having given vent to many a sigh and groan of fatigue, had climbed, with Sarah's assistance, on to the back of the ass, they arrived at Pedler's Rest, Hiram's home. Taking a large key from the lining of his coat, Hiram opened the door of the miserable cottage. He then removed the panniers from the back of the ass; carried them, one at a time, into the house; and then Sarah and the ass followed him in, the beast walking straight forward through a passage which divided the tenement into two parts, and standing by the back-door till Hiram should open it; which Hiram having done, the creature entered a rude stable, made up in the cave behind, and began instantly to munch the thistles, chaff, and grass, with which a crazy manger was stored.

The eagerness of her cold gray eyes sharpened, but her face grew more blank, as Sarah looked about the old Jew's dwelling. All she could see at present wore an aspect of disheartening desolation and poverty. The room they were in was a small

we metalli bag dog 002 chamber, some twelve f feet by eight in extent, and without any ceiling, having merely the thatch of the roof for a covering for the cottage was but one story in height, and consisted of onlyd two apartments, in one of which the Jew lived by day, and in the other slept at night. They were now in the former. A cupboard and a large box, a deal-table, two old easy-chairs, an oil lamp, a large lantern, hanging against the wall, a gridiron and fryingpan-by the side of the small hearth, a dish

old battered metal teapot, three cups and one saucer Plates, an

were all the articles of use or ornament which met the observant eye of her who now entered the place for the first time.

With the ready skill of one accustomed to wait upon himself, Hiram kindled a fire in the pinched-up grate, and with his breath inflamed the embers until a cheerful blaze arose, over which he H stooped and warmed his thin attenuated hands with great satisfaction.

It was September, and the evenings were growing cold, especially in this bleak and desolate spot. The woman drew one of the crazy old arm-chairs upon the hearthstone, and seating herself in it, warmed her hands also."

'What a blesshing ish a little fire!' exclaimed Hiram, disposed to take the utmost account of the luxury.

'That's true,' said the woman readily, as if she were really thankful for it; 'for it's main cold in these parts.'

"Sho it ish, Sharah; but she would find it colder in Brishtol, perhapsh, wandering in the shtreetsh without shelter, food, fire, or anything else. Eh, Sharah, tearsh?' said Hiram, evidently desirous that his visitor should set an appreciating value upon his hospitality.

That's true,' said the woman again, as she sat looking at the blaze with the fixed, vacant stare of one whose mind is busied with many thoughts, and a hard, cold expression, which told of troubles past and present.

Hiram opened his cupboard, and brought forth bread and meat; placed his kettle on the fire; opened his store-box, and took out some coffee, with which, when the water was sufficiently hot, he manufactured some of the fragrant beverage. He placed before Sarah one of his small stock of knives, a plate, and a cup.

Why, Hiram, man,' said she, 'you live like a gentleman!'
A poor shentleman, Sharah- -a very poor shentleman, grunted

Hiram.

'Never mind; enough is as good as a feast,' rejoined Sarah. "Sho it ish, Sharah,' answered Hiram, and much better. I only wish I could alwaysh get enough, which, somehow or other, no one ever doesh in thish world, Sharah. And when thish little shtore ish gone, what will I do then, for they drive me from the marketsh and the shtreetsh, and will not let me earn my breaddevilsh and villainsh!'

I

14

soon tired of it, ana

you next time,

Леня 2 янзлач

see if

then pre

dao alone. Let me go with, touch used 199 It ish very good, Sharah; but do they not ill-treat you already, brave ash you

But I can soon put a stop to tha soon put a stop to that,, said the woman, with a resolute jerk of head. I am as strong as any of them; me again, as they have

if they

find it out. "It

ones owt bis

ish

and

as they have to-day, some of them will

good, Sharah,

She

tearsh, cried Hiram bitterly; not Ishall not run the rishk for me. It

quite enough for one to be beaten and shtarved-beaten and shtarved!'

Hot talks of being beaten and starved?" exclaimed a voice, intering tone, whilst at the same time two or three

light

Hiram and his

the door.

were givempanion started, and exchanged looks of surprise and and annoyance; the Jew, indeed, of fretful anger.

Come, me in, cried a voice, and the latch of the door was raised and rattled; but Hiram never neglected to fasten the bolt, so that raising the latch was of no avail the door opened not.

III.

We are jusht going to bed, and cannot be opening the door again to-night,' cried Hiram to the person without.

It is raining hard,' said the voice; I am tired and knocked up, and there is no house but this for miles.'

It ish not a tavern; and we are too poor to entertain wayfarersh and travellersh, however much we may deshire it,' cried[{ Hiram peevishly.

"Poor! Well, I will pay you to let me rest here this night, so that you shall gain by obliging me.'

The Jew paused. His face assumed its accustomed calculating expression. It ish a shivel-shpoken shentleman,' muttered he presently. He appeared to be weighing the significance of the stranger's superior tone and accent in conjunction with the wordpay, the hearing of which had effected an immediate and magical change in his demeanour.

It ish shtrong proof how poor we are,' said he to the person]{ outside, even for the chanshe of obtaining an honest penny by giving you the shelter you deshire, we break through the cushtom of long yearsh, and open the door after it hash been closhed for the night. We musht get bread to eat how we can how We can'

He withdrew the bolt-his fingers half hesitating and opened. the door.

A young man, pale and haggard, stepped in quickly

the same

A

figure which had emerged from the rock after Hiram and, Sarah's colloquy. He appeared to be between twenty-five and thirty years of age; was of middling height, slightly built, and possessed a pair of piercing black eyes, which shone out brightly from his worn and sharpened face. His attire was of good material, and in the best fashion of the day, but was soiled and disordered, and worn in the most free and careless fashion. He carried a very small knapsack, lightly and commodiously attached to his back by a couple of shoulder-straps, and in his right hand a thick knotted staff. Standing by the table, he surveyed the wretched and comfortless room, and returned, with steady interest, the curious and suspicious glances of Hiram and Sarah, 'You call yourself poordo you?' said he presently, as he unstrapped his knapsack.

Very poor-very poor, good shir,' ejaculated Hiram; hardly shure of a day'sh bread, after yearsh of hard laboursh.'

'What profit hath a man of all his labours which he taketh under the sun?' exclaimed the stranger, with an odd, ironical smile.

'Very shmall profitsh!-very shmall profitsh!' exclaimed Hiram, scrutinising the appearance of his guest, and watching his every movement with the anxious, mechanical solicitude of a dog. Well, never mind,' said the stranger. Let us think ourselves affluent as long as we have life and our senses. Why toil and moil, if we can get nothing by it? As for myself, I am a wanderer, who knows not at morn where he shall lay his head at night; but you are obviously a man of condition-have a house to live in, a not entirely unstocked larder; tables, chairs, and household implements, and a fireside whereby to cherish yourself. Besides all this, have you not the glorious face of nature out of doors? Is not all creation spread before you-a banquet at which none can prevent your sitting? Have you not usufruct of earth, and skies, and water? And, above all, have you not the inestimable blessing of a dwelling where few come to molest you—a restingplace outside the rack of the great, lying, cheating, hideous world of conventionality, fashion, trade, and commerce? After all, you are wealthy, Hiram Balthazar!'

"Tearsh! how did he learn my name?' exclaimed the Jew, with a start at hearing himself thus addressed.

'Tom Fool knows nobody, but everybody knows Tom Fool, says the proverb,' returned the stranger with a laugh. It is one of the vexations of extensive celebrity, that every one knows you by sight and name, Hiram. Fame places a man in a pair of stocks before the world. Every one in passing takes a look, and makes his own remark, and learns to recognise and remember the acolyte of immortality. I have often heard of you, Hiram, especially during the last three days which I have spent in these parts. You are more talked about here than the king on his throne.'

'Pish!

It ish fine pleashantry!' grunted Hiram, becoming soured and acrimonious at the careless, off-hand tone of his new

guest, and beginning to repent having admitted him. I am old, humble, poor, full of troublesh, and have not shpirit to enshoy it, so it ish all losht wordsh-losht wordsh.'

All lost! Then I won't advance any more,' rejoined the stranger, taking off his wet coat, and holding it before the fire. It is bad work, Hiram, going on without chance of fair profits.' Ay, fair shir, I think you had better go on to the nexsht houshe, which ish only four milesh on the road, whichever way you turn. There you will get a good shupper and a good bed for your money, which ish more than I can find you. We are not

company here for shentlemen of shpirit and humour.'

Come, don't be angry, Hiram. Give me some of your bread, and meat, and coffee, and let me lie here this night, and you shan't have reason to repent it-that is, if you be in any wise a reasonable being. I am not exactly a gentleman of spirit and humour, but have my troubles and heart-burnings as bad in their way as yours, I warrant. But let us forget all about that.'

With a short, impatient sigh the stranger placed the remaining chair by the table, and sat himself down, having, during his colloquy with his host, spread his damp coat across Hiram's storebox, unpacked his knapsack, taken out a sort of jacket made of flannel, and put it on. He took a clasp-knife from his pocket, helped himself to bread and meat, accepted a cup of coffee from Hiram's trembling hands, and proceeded to eat and drink this curiously prepared meal with easy unreserve and much appetite.

'It ish very poor accommodation,' said Hiram, who appeared extremely uncomfortable at having a couple of guests in his house -quite an unprecedented circumstance at Pedler's Rest. 'You are come to the table of Lazharush, who, alash! can keep but shorry fare, and ish very shorry company.'

Hiram's been put out of his way to-day,' said the woman, speaking for the first time since the arrival of the new guest; and he hasn't got over it yet. They set upon him in the market, and drove him home before he had sold a pennyworth.'

'Cowardsh!-villainsh!-dogsh!-devilsh!" muttered Hiram

fiercely.

Why, what's the matter, then?' asked the stranger.

'Quite enough to turn his temper it is,' continued Sarah, appearing to feel much sympathy for Hiram's calamities, and observing towards the visitor an air and tone of coldness and indifference, which, however, had still a modicum of respect; for there was that in the language and manner of the latter which always unmistakably characterises a person of breeding and education. For these months past, they have never let him have a day's peace in Bristol, with their following him about, hooting and raving; and to-day they set upon him worse than ever, pulled his beard, knocked him about, threw at him whatever messes they could pick up in the streets, and forced him to come back home again.'