me blandly as I lay on the floor. " I have
the honour to inform you that you have
now received your first lesson in politeness.
Always be civil to those who are civil to
you. The little matter of the caricature we
will settle on a future occasion. I wish you
good evening."

The noise of my fall had been heard by the
other occupants of rooms on my landing.
Most fortunately for my dignity, they did
not come in to see what was the matter
until I had been able to get into my chair
again. When they entered, I felt that the
impression of the slap was red on my face
still, but the mark of the blow was hidden by
my hair. Under these fortunate circumstances,
I was able to keep up my character
among my friends, when they enquired about
the scuffle, by informing them that Gentleman
Jonea had audaciously slapped my face, and
that I had been obliged to retaliate by knocking
him down. My word in the prison was
as good as his; and if my version of the
story fairly got the start of his, I had the
better chance of the two of being believed.

I was rather anxious, the next day, to
know what course my polite and pugilistic
instructor would take. To my utter amazement,
he bowed to me as civilly as usual,
when we met in the yard; he never denied
my version of the story; and when my
friends laughed at him as a thrashed man,
he took not the slightest notice of their
agreeable merriment. Antiquity, I think,
furnishes us with few more remarkable
characters than Gentleman Jones.

That evening I thought it desirable to
invite a friend to pass the time with me.
As long as my liquor lasted, he stopped;
when it was gone, he went away. I was just
locking the door after him, when it was
pushed open gently, but very firmly, and
Gentleman Jones walked in.

My pride, which had not allowed me to
apply for protection to the prison authorities,
would not allow me now to call for help. I
tried to get to the fireplace and arm myself
with the poker, but Gentleman Jones was
too quick for me. " I have come, sir, to give
you a lesson in morality to-night," he said;
and up went his right hand.

I stopped the preliminary slap, but before
I could hit him, his terrible left fist reached
my head again; and down I fell once more—
upon the hearth-rug this time—not over-
heavily.

"Sir," said Gentleman Jones, making me a
bow, " you have now received your first
lesson in morality. Always speak the truth;
and never say what is false of another man
behind his back. To-morrow, with your kind
permission, we will finally settle the
adjourned question of the caricature. Good-
night."

I was for too sensible a man to leave the
settling of that question to him. The first
thing in the morning I sent a polite note to
Gentleman Jones, informing him that I had
abandoned all idea of exhibiting his likeness
to the public in my series of prints, and
giving him full permission to inspect every
design I made before it went out of the
prison. I received a most civil answer,
thanking me for my courtesy, and
complimenting me on the extraordinary aptitude
with which I profited by the most incomplete
and elementary instruction. I thought I
deserved the compliment, and I think so still.
Our conduct, on either side, as I have
already intimated, was honourable to us.
It was honourable attention on the part
of Gentleman Jones, to correct me when I
was in error; it was honourable common
sense in me, to profit by the correction. I
have never seen Gentleman Jones since he
compounded with his creditors, and got out
of prison; but my feelings towards him are
still those of profound gratitude and respect.
He gave me the only useful teaching I ever
had; and if this should meet the eye of
Gentleman Jones I hereby thank him for
beginning and ending my education in two
evenings, without costing me or my family a
single farthing.

To return to my business affairs. When I
was comfortably settled in the prison, and
knew exactly what I owed, I thought it my
duty to my father to give him the first chance
of getting me out. His answer to my letter
contained a quotation from Shakspeare on
the subject of thankless children, but no
remittance of money. After that, my only
course was to employ a lawyer and be
declared a bankrupt. I was most uncivilly
treated, and remanded two or three times.
When everything I possessed had been sold
for the benefit of my creditors, I was
reprimanded and let out. It is pleasant to think
that, even then, my faith in myself and in
human nature was still not shaken.

About ten days before my liberation, I was
thunderstruck at receiving a visit from my
sister's mahogany-coloured husband, Mr.
Batterbury. When I was respectably settled at
home, this gentleman would not so much as
look at me without a frown; and now, when
I was a scamp in prison, he mercifully and
fraternally came to condole with me on my
misfortunes. A little dexterous questioning
disclosed the secret of this prodigious change
in our relations towards each other, and
informed me of a family event which altered
my position towards my sister in the most
whimsical manner.

While I was being removed to the
bankruptcy court, my uncle in the soap and candle
trade was being removed to the other world.
His will took no notice of my father or my
mother; but he left to my sister (always
supposed to be his favourite in the family) a
most extraordinary legacy of possible pin-
money, in the shape of a contingent reversion
to the sum of three thousand pounds, payable
on the death of Lady Malkinshaw, provided