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Now in a while Barnabas turned; and behold! the candles glowed as

brightly as ever, silver and glass shone and glittered as bravely as

ever, but--the great room was empty, that is to say--very nearly Of

all that brilliant and fashionable coures they looked, seated at the deserted table--the

Viscount, cru at the table-cloth, and the

Marquis, fidgeting with his snuff-box, and frowning at the ceiling

To these solitary figures Barnabas spoke, albeit his voice was

hoarse and by no means steady: "My Lords," said he, "why haven't you--followed the others?"

"Why, you see," began the Marquis, frowning at the ceiling harder

than ever, and flicking open his snuff-box, "you see--speaking for

for myself, I--hum!--the fact

is--ha!--that is to say--oh, dooce take it!" And, in his distress, he

actually inhaled a pinch of snuff and i,

with a muffled curse after every sneeze

"Sirs," said Barnabas, "I think you'd better go You will be

less--conspicuous Indeed, you'd better go"

"Go?" repeated the Viscount, rising suddenly "Go, is it? No, damme

if we do! If you are John Barty's son, you are still my friend,

and--there's my hand--Barnabas"

"Mine--too!" sneezed the Marquis, "'s soon as I've got over

the--'ffects of this s-snuff--with a curse to it!"

"Oh Dick!" said Barnabas, his head drooping, "Marquis--"

"Naasped the Marquis from behind his

handkerchief "Oh, damn this snuff!"