Frank Fairlegh

l, in your doublet

atic

too open; his fil

he kept not time..

!' foh! a fico

ksp

nd's icy moun

ng out of bed, and began to dress,-"What in the world was there for me to make myself so miserable about last night? Suppose Cumberland and Lawless should laugh at, and tease me a little at first, what does it signify? I must take it in good part as long as I can, and if that does not do I must speak seriously to them-tell them they really annoy me and make me uncomfortable, and then, of course, they will leave off. As to Coleman, I am certain---Well, it's very odd!"-this last remark was elicited by the fact that a search I had been making for some minutes, in every place possible and impossible, for that indispensable article of male

I seldom shave of a morning; for the fa

, and he's been mowing away with the greatest of persewerance for the last six months, and sends his r

d, but I have lost-that is, I can't find-my trousers

irs to brush 'em for you; you did not hear anybody com

s so tired-I slept

about 'em: perhaps you had better put on another pair, an

eemed to stand a very good chance of making my first appearance at my tutor's breakfast-table in an extemporary "kilt," improvised for the occasion out of two towels and a checked neckcloth. In this ex

better get some clothes on? Mildman will be down in a minute, and there will be

lied I; "but the fact is, somebody has t

t's the row?" was the reply. "Have the French landed? or is the kitchen chimney on fire? eh! What do I behold! Fairlegh, lightly

now, here's another case of pilfering; Fairleg

done? It must be stopped somehow: we had better tel

e, the meaning of which, however, I was totally at a

e, that, placed by his position so entirely above suspicion, he may do it with impunity. We have suspected this for some time; and lately one or two circumstances-old clothesmen having been observed leaving his study, a pawn-ticket falling out of his waistcoat pocket

able evidence of the reality of the accusation, I continued: "I had no idea such things ever could take place, and he a clergyman, too!-dreadful! but what in the world

re to wrap yourself up in a blanket, and go and tell him you have found him out, and that you will call a policeman if he

I should put it), and that you would be very much gratified by his lending you a pair to wear to-day; and then you can stick in something about your having been always accustomed to live with people who

for past favours, and hope for a continuance of the same-more than you do, though, Fairlegh, I s

n had no bre

d catskin, and m

essing from the melancholy fact that every pair of trousers I possessed in the world had disappeared; while, to complete my misery, I was led to believe the del

te the note as Lawless had advised? No, it was useless to think of that; I felt I could not do it. "Ah! a bright idea!-I'll

u found them?" aske

ith my respects, that I cannot get up to breakfast this morning, and, if he asks what is the matter with me,

ut I don't exactly see the good of it

gloomily, "we shall see; o

d so, "Well, I calls this a great deal too bad, and

as set in authority over me, I buried my face in the pillow, feeling a strong inclination to renew the lamentations of the preceding night. Not many minutes had elapsed when the sound of a heavy footstep slowly ascending th

tells me you are not able to come down

t think I am very ill, but I

me down to breakfast! pray, wh

d effrontery, and thought I would give him a hint that he could not deceive me s

ot physic:-however, put out your tongue-that's right enough; let me feel your hand-a littl

my clothes himself, but actually asking me whether such things did not happen at

I was scarcely able to repress; "no, sir, such a t

er; I will send you up something warm, and after that you may feel more inclined to get up," said

g combines to prove it-Thomas's speech-nay, even his own offer of sending me 'something warm'; something warm, indeed! what do I want with anything warm, except my trousers? No! the fact was beyond dispute; they

with his arm full of clothes, "here they are,

exclaimed

t I have given them a good brushing, and they are none the worse for it, except them blessed w

t proof positive; my clothes had been actually found

ou ever find t

one of them hanging down the chimbley, so I guessed how it all was, directly. I think

ey had," m

out any good," continued he; "he is never out of bed till

, and Lawless's amiable desire to conceal Dr. Mildman's sins from his servant's knowledge was no longer of any avail. I hastened, ther

ice of a clergyman of the Church of England, and so made it his especial duty to set a good example to all around him, can take advantage of the situation in which he is placed in regard t

he had assumed at the beginning of my speech, had given place to an expression of mingled surprise and anger as I continued; which again in its turn had yielded to a grin of intense amusement, growing every moment broader and broader, accompanied by a spasmodic twitching of his whole person; and, as I mentioned his master's purloining my trousers, he suddenly sprang up from the floor nearly a yard high, and commence

a place as Greenland before, but there's nowhere e

'green,' as you call it? what are you talking about?" said I, not feelin

not help it, when I heard you say about master's having stole your things. Oh lor!" h

ny laughing matter?" sa

replied Thomas, struggling against a relapse; "why, bless your innoc

swered I, "and he also said it was not the f

ster would as soon think of flying as of stealing anything. It was Mr. Coleman as pu

ar to my mind's eye; the result of my cogitations may be gathered from the following remark, whi

joke involved the possibility of such serious consequences as offending the tutor under whose care we were placed, I (wholly ignorant of the impudence and recklessness of public school boys) considered such a solution of the mystery inconceivable. Moreover, everything around me was so strange, and so entirely different from the habits of life in which I had been hitherto brought up, that for the time my mind was

obtained it under false pretences, very like a culprit all the while. Having finished my breakfast, and allowed sufficient time to elapse for my recovery, I got up, and, selecting a pair of trousers which appeared to have suffered

now you are up, Fairlegh?"

k you," I replied, fee

overed?" c

I mean," stammered I,

what kind of Latin and Greek li

dissatisfied) himself upon this point, he recommended Horace and Xenophon to my particular notice, adding, that Coleman was also directing his attention to the sayings and doings of the same honourable and learned gentlemen-and that, therefore, we were to work together. He then explained to me certain rules and regulations

we dined. Lest any kind reader should fancy we were starved, let me add, that at half-past one a substantial luncheon was provided, of which we might partake or not as we ple