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peeping. I happened to have in my pocket one of the musical bank pieces, which had been given me by Mrs Nosnibor, so I tried to tip him with it; but having seen what it was he became so angry that it was all I could do to pacify him. When he was gone I ventured to take a second look, and saw Zulora in the very act of giving a piece of paper which looked like a cheque to one of the cashiers. He did not examine it, but, putting his hand into an antique coffer hard by, he pulled out a quantity of metal pieces apparently at random, and handed them over without counting them; neither did Zulora count them, but put them into her purse and departed. I supposed that they knew their own business best, for the ladies seemed quite satisfied, thanked him for the money, and began making towards the curtain; on this I let it drop and retreated to a reasonable distance.

They soon joined me. For some few minutes we all kept silence, but at last I ventured to remark that the bank was not so busy to-day as it probably often was. On this Mrs Nosnibor said that it was indeed melancholy to see what little heed people paid to the most precious of all institutions. To this I could say nothing; but I have ever been of opinion that the greater part of mankind do on the whole know where they get that which does them good. Mrs Nosnibor went on to say that I must not imagine that there was any want of confidence in the bank because I had seen so few people there; the heart of the country was thoroughly devoted to these establishments, and any sign of their being in danger would bring in support from the most unexpected quarters. It was only because people knew them to be so very safe, that in