"Robert and Patty," said he to us solemnly,
one evening about three weeks after the Hall
tea-party, " I desire your advice."

We eagerly promised him the very best.

"I am a man," said he, "who may be said to
have used the best part of my life in pursuits
not so likely to do myself good as those who
come after me. What additions I have made to
science will, I may say without vanity, make my
name remembered long after I am dust myself.
God was so good as to endow me, not
only with the taste, but the means for providing
the world with certain roots of knowledge,
that to know has now become, one might
almost say, a craving on the part of this
wonderful age. There is an extraordinary
delight and fascination in these studies. At
the same time, I never look at you, my dear
brother, without perceiving that real happiness
in this world consists in social and domestic
ties. I have studied the subject well." Here
Erasmus diverged into a sort of learned summing
up of a set of people of whom I never heard
before, and from whose writings, and sayings,
and examples, he proved indisputably that the
domestic married man is that man of all others
placed in the position designed by God for his
perfect happiness. In fact, Erasmus lectured on
so much upon what was the simplest thing in
the world, that I said in a hurry:

"And so, at last, Erasmus, you would like to
marry."

"My dear Patty," answered he, a little put
out, " I am coming to that. Why I desire yours
and Robert's advice is, will any woman marry
me?"

"Mrs. Arun—the wid—that pretty little thing
will take you on your first word, Erasmus," replied
Robert.

Erasmus rose up; he frowned, he hum-hummed;
evidently, for once in his life, he felt a
spit of anger against Robert. Instantly Robert
saw this.

"Sit down, Erasmus; forgive me. May I
see you as happy with a nice bright Maggie as
I am with Patty."

"Ah, Robert, that is it. Will she have me?
Do not think I am carried away by any other
feeling than her own beautiful character. Her
forbearance to that peevish woman, her unscrupulous
truth and rectitude of mind, her domestic
virtues, so like dear Patty's, and with all
this, so tender a heart, so clear a head, so sensible
a woman, I never met. Our dear mother's
name was Margaret, you know, Robert."

"It was, my dear brother; may the omen be
propitious."

"What is my proper course to do?"

"Go to her at once, and tell her of your
affection for her."

"If she should refuse me, Patty, you will
have sad work, sister, to console me."

And the pathos with which he said this of
course made me burst out crying.

"You see that poor pretty foolish woman has
determined, that is, she wishes—but truly—
though I have admired her—I should not have
deserved the name of man, if I had not admired
her—she thinks—she persists in thinking—-"

"I will go with you, Erasmus, and while you
speak to Miss Ross, I will prepare the widow—
surely, Patty, I may call her anything I like
now."

"Yes, Antoinetta, if you please."

Was not I happy? and while they were away,
I skipped up to Pet, and told her in the
strictest confidence.

And Pet could not resist skipping back with
me to learn the news. And luckily we had
the shortest time to wait, for in rushed Robert,
and caught me round the waist, and kissed me a
dozen times, never seeing Pet. Such good news.

Only Mrs. Arundel was most indignant, and
declared she would have Erasmus up for breach
of promise, and showed a bundle of his letters,
over which Robert roared so with uncontrollable
laughter at the notion of their being available
against his brother (half a dozen of them
merely answers to invitations to Eglantine
Cottage, and the rest scientific replies to
supposed learned questions from her), that in a
pet she poked them into the fire.

However, she let out that the only reason
she took Eglantine Cottage was to be near him,
having met him abroad, &c. &c.

"She came to hunt down her quarry," said
Robert, most uproarious, " and missed it."

That evening, Miss Ross, now our Maggie,
came with Erasmus, to be kissed by me as my
sister.

"Now you will be sure to be good to dear
Erasmus, and love him well," said I, severely.

"Good!" she echoed, "love him. I wonder
how I have lived until now without his love."

That was enough for me. That was the
proper way for Erasmus to be loved. As for
Erasmus, I wondered how long it would be
before he would have all that glory of hair down
again. But Maggie pined to go home. " Love
makes one so greedy of other love. I must
have my father's blessing, my dear sisters' congratulations,"
said she.

And think of us going, too, down to Scotland,
and being introduced to Maggie's father and
sisters.

But, dear me, if I once begin on that subject,
and go on with how they all loved Erasmus, and
liked Robert and me, and the wedding, and
everything, I had better begin a three-volumed
novel at once.

NEW WORK BY MR. DICKENS,
In Monthly Parts, uniform with the Original Editions of
"Pickwick," "Copperfield,"&c.
Now publishing, PART XIV., price 1s., of

OUR MUTUAL FRIEND.

BY CHARLES DICKENS.

IN TWENTY MONTHLY PARTS.

With Illustrations by MARCUS STONE.
London: CHAPMAN and HALL, 193, Piccadilly.

The Right of Translating Articles from ALL THE YEAR ROUND is reserved by the Authors.