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man highly enjoyed—but of which neither Sylvester nor Henriette—who was exceedingly tremulous the whole of the time—partook freely.

It will not appear amazing that Henriette—who had never before dined with strangers—should feel, on this occasion, nervous; but it is very questionable whether she would have felt half so nervous, had there been but one guest, and that guest had been the reverend gentleman. It will be extremely rational to believe that she would not: for her eyes and those of Sylvester constantly met—so constantly, indeed, that it really appeared as if they had not the power to keep them off.

Very soon after dinner the ladies withdrew, and then Sylvester felt more at ease, and, as Howard—who was highly pleased with him—paid him every attention, he joined in the conversation freely and gaily, until the subject of somnambulism was introduced, when he became at once thoughtful and silent.

Conceiving, however, that, being a friend of the reverend gentleman, Howard knew, of course, all about the recent trial, he eventually shook off all unpleasant thoughts, and, on being appealed to, entered into the subject fully. He related all those circumstances connected with the case which did not transpire on the trial—how Sir Charles had attacked him; how the duel was prevented; how the pier-glass was broken, and so on—and then described the scenes which he unconsciously produced while residing with Dr. Delolme.

This description not only amazed Howard, but amused him; and, as the reverend gentleman after this related, with his characteristic gravity, all that had occurred at the Grange—commencing with the peaches, and ending with the fact of poor Judkins being caged as an escaped convict—he appeared for a time to have forgotten all his cares.

"But," said he at length, addressing Sylvester; "you seem to have passed over five years! What occurred while you were living with Mr. Scholefield?"

"Nothing that ever came to my knowledge; and that I have often thought of as being most strange."

"It is strange, certainly. Now, had you any supper last night?"

"Oh, yes; I always take supper: it is, in fact, the meal I most enjoy."

"What are the habits of Mr. Scholefield? Is he a free liver?"

"Quite the reverse. He is a particularly abstemious man."

"And were you abstemious while you were living with him?"

"I was: I lived very nearly as he lived."

"And never ate suppers?"

"Why!" exclaimed Sylvester, as the thought on the instant struck him; "how strange that that never occurred to me! That must have been the cause!"

"A friend once wrote to me," said Howard, with emotion, and the reverend gentleman knew whom he meant; "stating that he had been a somnambulist, and that abstemious living had, in his case, effected a cure!"

"And will do so in my case, I have not the slightest doubt of it!"

"I should strongly recommend you to try it."