still tenacious vitality to throw off diseases repugnant to its native
magnificence of health. The finest constitutions are those which, when
once seriously impaired, occasion the direst pain; but they also enable
the sufferer to bear pain that would soon wear away the delicate. And
Jasper bore his pains stoutly, though at times they so exasperated his
temper, that woe then to any of his comrades whose want of caution or
respect gave him the occasion to seek relief in wrath! His hand was as
heavy, his arm as stalwart as ever. George Morley had been rightly
informed. Even by burglars and cut-throats, whose dangers he shunned,
while fearlessly he joined their circle, Jasper Losely was regarded with
terror. To be the awe of reckless men, as he had been the admiration of
foolish women, this was delight to his vanity, the last delight that was
left to it. But he thus provoked a danger to which his arrogance was
blind. His boon companions began to grow tired of him. He had been
welcomed to their resort on the strength of the catchword or passport
which confederates at Paris had communicated to him, and of the
reputation for great daring and small scruple which he took from Cutts,
who was of high caste amongst their mysterious tribes, and who every now
and then flitted over the Continent, safe and accursed as the Wandering
Jew. But when they found that this Achilles of the Greeks would only
talk big, and employ his wits on his private exchequer and his thews
against themselves, they began not only to tire of his imperious manner,
but to doubt his fidelity to the cause. And, all of a sudden, Cutts, who
had at first extolled Jasper as one likely to be a valuable acquisition
to the Family of Night, altered his tone, and insinuated that the bravo
was not to be trusted; that his reckless temper and incautious talk when
drunk would unfit him for a safe accomplice in any skilful project of
plunder; and that he was so unscrupulous, and had so little sympathy with
their class, that he might be quite capable of playing spy or turning
king's evidence; that, in short, it would be well to rid themselves of