conceive, Essper, what can induce you to tie up your fortunes with those of such a sad-looking personage as myself."
"In truth, sir, there is no accounting for tastes. My grandmother loved a brindled cat!"
"Your grandmother, Essper! Nothing would amuse me more than to be introduced to your family."
"My family, sir, are nothing more nor less than what all of us must be counted, worms of five feet long, mortal angels, the world's epitome, heaps of atoms which Nature has kneaded with blood into solid flesh, little worlds of living clay, sparks of heaven, inches of earth, Nature's quintessence, moving dust, the little all, smooth-faced cherubim, in whose souls the Ring of stars has drawn the image of Himself!"
"And how many years has breathed the worm of five feet long that I am now speaking to?"
"Good, my Lord, I was no head at calculating from a boy; but I do remember that I am two days older than one of the planets."
"How is that?"
"There was one born in the sky, sir, the day I was christened with a Turkish crescent."
"Come, Essper," said Vivian, who was rather interested by the conversation; Essper, having, until this morning, skilfully avoided any discourse upon the subject of his birth or family, adroitly turning the conversation whenever it chanced to approach these subjects, and silencing inquiries, if commenced, by some ludicrous and evidently fictitious answer. "Come, Essper," said Vivian, "I feel by no means in the humour to quit this shady retreat. You and I have now known each other long, and gone through much together. It is but fair that I should become better acquainted with one who, to me, is not only a faithful servant, but what is more valuable, a faithful friend, I might now almost add, my only one. What say you to whiling away a passing hour by giving me some sketch of your curious and adventurous life? If there be anything that you wish to conceal, pass it over; but no invention, nothing but the truth, if you please; the whole truth, if you like."
"Why, sweet sir, as for this odd knot of soul and body, which none but the hand of Heaven could have twined, it was first seen, I believe, near the very spot where we are now sitting; for my mother, when I