induce him to shun us. Mind, as I have always remarked, Oliver, and as I have before reasoned with thee relative to him, is slow in ridding itself of the habits of prejudice, even when prejudice itself seems to have ceased.
'Tis true that conjectures disadvantageous to Clifton have, when Anna and I were considering this incident, intruded themselves forcibly upon us: but they were only conjectures, and I hope ill founded. Indeed they are improbable; for Clifton could not knowingly

league himself with a man like Mac Fane, except for purposes too black or too desperate for even passions so violent as his to entertain.
I know mind to be capable of astonishing mistakes; nor can I pretend, when I recollect the proofs on record, to say what are the boundaries of error; nor indeed what are the boundaries of probability. But I think Clifton could not make himself the associate of Mac Fane!
I should pronounce more boldly still, but that I cannot conceive how it was possible for a character so legible and gross, as that of this gambler, to impose for a moment on Coke Clifton; acquainted as he is with the world, and

accustomed to detect and satirize what he understands to be absurdity! I can only say, if he be proceeding in error so flagrant and deep as this, he is a man much to be feared, but more to be pitied.
F. HENLEY.


COKE CLIFTON TO GUY FAIRFAX.
London, Dover Street.
AGAIN and again, Fairfax, this is an infernal world! A vile, disgusting, despicable, besotted ass of a world! Existence in it is not worth accepting; and the sooner we spurn it from us the better we shall assert our claim to the

dignity and wisdom of which it is destitute.
How do I despise the blundering insolent scoundrel with whom I am linked! How despicable am I to myself!
I last night met the fellow again at the Shakespeare. Of all his dirty qualities, not one of them is so tormenting as his familiar impudence! There is no repressing it except by cutting his throat; a business at which he is always alert. Nothing delights him so much as to talk of extinguishing men, treading out their souls, feeding upon their life-time, and other strange revolting phrases, all of the same sanguinary sort.
Having consulted with him concerning the seizure of Anna and Frank, and concluded that the affair should be ended

as speedily as possible, I wished to have shaken him off and retired: but the thing was impracticable. I do not choose that my own carriage