painting?"

"And especially when not one of them has seen it!" said the Baronet
with a smile.

"How?" exclaimed I, "not seen it?"

"Not one of them?" replied he, laying his finger on his lips in sign of
secrecy. "I saw that some of them were in a bantering vein, and I did
not choose that the memento of the poor Italian should be made a jest
of. So I gave the housekeeper a hint to show them all to a different
chamber!"

Thus end the Stories of the Nervous Gentleman.




PART SECOND.

BUCKTHORNE AND HIS FRIENDS.

"'Tis a very good world that we live in,
To lend, or to spend, or to give in;
But to beg, or to borrow, or get a man's own,
'Tis the very worst world, sir, that ever was known."

LINES FROM AN INN WINDOW.