Mr. Jack Maldon shook hands with me; but not very warmly, I believed; and with an air of languid patronage, at which I secretly took great umbrage. But his languor altogether was quite a wonderful sight; except when he addressed himself to his cousin Annie. “Have you breakfasted this morning, Mr. Jack?” said the Doctor.

“I hardly ever take breakfast, sir,” he replied, with his head thrown back in an easy-chair. “I find it bores me.”

“Is there any news today?” inquired the Doctor.

“Nothing at all, sir,” replied Mr. Maldon. “There’s an account about the people being hungry and discontented down in the North, but they are always being hungry and discontented somewhere.”