might be spared him on that day, to send over
some fruit and fresh flowers lhe had promised to
the family at. St. Rosalia: "that is," added she,
"if I'm lucky enough to find a boatman to take
them, for at this season all are in full work in
the fields."

"' What would you say, Donna Marietta, if I
were to take charge of the basket myself, and
be your messenger to the villa?"

The hostess was far less astonished at his
offer than he had imagined she would be. With
her native ideas on these subjects, she only
accepted the proposal as an act of civility, and
not as a surpassing piece of condescension, and
simply said, "Onofno shall thank you heartily
for it when he is up and about again."

If this was not the exact sort of recognition
he looked for, Calvert at all events saw that
he was pledged to fulfil his offer; and so he
stood by while she measured out peas, and
counted over artichokes, and tied up bundles of
mint, and thyme, and stored up a pannier full of
ruddy apples, surmounting all with a gorgeous
bouquet of richly-perfumed flowers, culled in
all the careless profusion of that land of plenty.
Nor was this all. She impressed upon him how
he was to extol the excellence of this, and the
beauty of that, to explain that the violets were
true Parmesans, and the dates such as only
Onofrio knew how to produce.

Loyd laughed his own little quiet laugh when
he heard of his friend's mission, and his amusement
was not lessened at seeing the half-
awkward and more than half-unwilling preparations
Calvert made to fulfil it.

"Confound the woman!" said he, losing all
patience; " she wanted to charge me with
all the bills and reckonings for the last three
weeks, on the pretext that her husband is but
ill-skilled in figures, and that it was a rare
chance to find one like myself to undertake the
office. I have half a mind to throw the whole
cargo overboard when I reach the middle of the
lake. I suppose a Nap. would clear all the cost."

"Oh, I'll not hear of such extravagance,"
said Loyd, demurely.

"I conclude I have a right to an act of
personal folly, eh?" asked Calvert, pettishly.

"Nothing of the kind. I drew up our
contract with great care, and especially on this very
head, otherwise it would have been too offensive
a bargain for him who should have observed all
the rigid injunctions of its economy."

"It was a stupid arrangement from the first,"
said Calvert, warmly. "Two men yet never
lived, who could say that each could bound his
wants by those of another. Not to say that an
individual is not himself the same each day of
the week. I require this on Tuesday, which I
didn't want on Monday, and so on."

"You are talking of caprice as though it were
necessity, Calvert."

"I don't want, to discuss the matter like a
special pleader, and outside the margin of our
conjoint expenses I mean to be as wasteful as
I please."

"As the contract is only during pleasure, if
can never be difficult to observe it."

"Yes, very true. You have arrived at my
meaning by another road. When was it we
last replenished the bag?"

"A little more than a week ago."

"So that there is about a fortnight yet to
run?"

"About that."

Calvert stood in thought for a few seconds,
and then, as if having changed the purpose he
was meditating, turned suddenly away and
hastened down to the boat quay.

Like many bashful and diffident men, Loyd
had a false air of coldness and resolution, which
impressed others greatly, but reacted grievously
on his own heart in moments of afterthought;
and now, no sooner had his companion gone,
than he felt what a mockery it was for him to
have assumed a rigid respect for a mere boyish
agreement, which lost all its value the moment
either felt it burdensome. "I was not of an age
to play Mentor to him. It could never become
me to assume the part of a guardian. I ought
to have said the bargain ceases the instant you
repudiate it. A forced companionship is mere
slavery. Let us part the good friends we met;
and so on." At last he determined to sit down
and write a short note to Calvert, releasing him
from his thraldom, and giving him his full and
entire liberty.

"As for myself, I will remain here so long as I
stay abroad, and if I come to the Continent
again, I will make for this spot as for a home:
and now for the letter."

NEW WORK BY MR. DICKENS.
In Monthly Parts, uniform with the Original Editions of
"Pickwick," "Copperfield," &c.
On APRIL 30th will be published, PART I., price 1s., of
OUR MUTUAL FRIEND.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.
IN TWENTY MONTHLY PARTS.
With Illustrations by MARCUS STONE.
London: CHAPMAN and HALL, 193, Piccadilly.

Now ready, bound in cloth, price 5s. 6d.,
THE TENTH VOLUME.

Now publishing, securely bound in newly designed covers, and gilt edged, price Three Pounds, the TEN VOLUMES of ALL THE YEAR ROUND, completed since the Miscellany was commenced. With a General Index to afford easy reference to every article in the Work, price Fourpence.