I survived her! Whether this document
sprang into existence out of any of his
involved money transactions with his mother,
was more than Mr. Batterbury could tell. I
could ascertain nothing in relation to it,
except that the bequest was accompanied by
some cynical remarks, to the effect that the
testator would feel happy if his legacy were
instrumental in reviving the dormant interest
of only one member of Doctor Softly's family
in the fortunes of the hopeful young gentleman
who had run away from home. My
esteemed uncle evidently felt that he could
not in common decency avoid doing
something for his sister's family; and he had done
it accordingly in the most malicious and
mischievous way. This was characteristic of
him; he was just the man, if he had not
possessed the document before, to have
had it drawn out on his death-bed for the
amiable purpose which it was now devoted to
serve.

This amused me, and so did the conduct of
Mr. Batterbury. The miserly little wretch
not only tried to conceal his greedy desire to
save his own pockets by securing the liberal
allowance of pin-money left to his wife, but
absolutely persisted in ignoring the plain fact
that his visit to me sprang from the serious
pecuniary interest which he and Annabella
now had in the life and health of your
humble servant. I made all the necessary
jokes about the strength of the vital principle
in Lady Malkinshaw, and the broken
condition of my own constitution; but he
solemnly abstained from understanding one of
them. I quizzed him on his two favourite
subjects, telling him we had a West Indian
debtor in the prison, next door to me,
afflicted with yellow fever; and asking how
much walking exercise in the yard he would
recommend as likeliest to keep me healthy
in the midst of infection. He persisted in
taking it all seriously; he resolutely kept up
appearances in the very face of detection;
not the faintest shade of red came over his
wicked old mahogany face, as he told me
how shocked he and his wife were at my
present position, and how anxious Annabella
was that he should not forget to give me her
love. Tender-hearted creature! I had only
been in prison six months when that
overwhelming testimony of sisterly affection came
to console me in my captivity. Ministering
angel! you shall get your three thousand
pounds, I am fifty years younger than Lady
Malkinshaw, and I will take care of myself,
Annabella, for thy dear sake!

The next time I saw Mr. Batterbury, was
on the day when I at last got my discharge.
He was not waiting to see where I was going
next, or what vital risks I was likely to run
on the recovery of my freedom, but to
congratulate me, and to give me Annabella's
love. It was a very gratifying attention,
and I said as much, in tones of the deepest
feeling.

"How is dear Lady Malkinshaw? " I
asked, when my grateful emotions had
subsided.

Mr. Batterbury shook his head mournfully.
"I regret to say, not quite so well as
her friends could wish," he answered. " The
last time I had the pleasure of seeing her
ladyship, she looked so yellow, that if we
had been in Jamaica, I should have said it
was a case of death in twelve hours. I
respectfully endeavoured to impress upon her
ladyship the necessity of keeping the
functions of the liver active by daily walking
exercise; time, distance, and pace being
regulated with proper regard to her age—you
understand me?—of course, with proper
regard to her age."

"You could not possibly have given her
better advice," said I. " When I saw her, as
long as two years ago, Lady Malkinshaw's
favourite delusion was that she was the most
active woman of seventy-five in all England.
She used to tumble down stairs two or three
times a-week, then, because she never would
allow anybody to help her; and could not be
brought to believe that she was as blind as a
mole, and as rickety on her legs as a child
of a year old. Now you have encouraged
her to take to walking, she will be more
obstinate than ever, and is sure to tumble
down daily, out of doors as well as in. Not
even the celebrated Malkinshaw toughness
can last out more than a few weeks of that
practice. Considering the present shattered
condition of my constitution, you couldn't
have given her better advice—upon my word
of honour, you couldn't have given her better
advice!"

"I am afraid," said Mr. Batterbury, with a
power of face I envied; " I am afraid, my
dear Frank (let me call you Frank), that I
don't quite apprehend your meaning: and
we have unfortunately no time to enter
into explanations. Five miles here by a
roundabout way, is only half my daily
allowance of walking exercise; five miles
back by a roundabout way remain to
be now accomplished. So glad to see you
at liberty again! Mind you let us know
where you settle, and take care of yourself;
and do recognise the importance to the whole
animal economy of daily walking exercise—
do now! Did I give you Annabella's love ?
She's so well. Good-bye."

Away went Mr. Batterbury to finish his
walk for the sake of his health; and away
went I to visit my publisher for the sake of
my pocket.

An unexpected disappointment awaited
me. My Scenes of Modern Prison Life had
not sold so well as had been anticipated, and
my publisher was gruffly disinclined to
speculate in any future works done in the same
style. During the time of my imprisonment,
a new caricaturist had started, with a manner
of his own; he had already formed a new
school, and the fickle public were all running