THE MAN OF TWO LIVES. 339 



" Fiddle-de-dee dont tell me/' returned the barber, snapping his 

 fingers, " why, you look half a widow already. Tell Slash eh ! 

 cramp, plenty of cramp, doubled up like a ball, round as a hoop, 

 curled up like those lit le sensitive ladies that turn somersets in a 



warm hand. Be sure, of all things, you stick to cramp, and blue 



ik of the Seven Dials as you gc 

 along and we're sure to succeed. You may also drop hints to tnc 



spots mind the blue spots. Think of the Seven Dials as you 



neighbours they won't come near me, depend on't." 



So saying, the little barber immersed some gum into a small sauce- 

 pan filled with water, and placed it carefully on the hob to simmer. 



In the meantime, somewhat fortified by the encouraging and con- 

 fident speech of her husband, Mrs. Singe prepared herself to go forth, 

 dropping, however, sundry natural doubts and fears of her success, 

 and venting praiseworthy but ill-timed conscientious scruples. 



" Now, go at once, that's a good woman," cried Singe impatiently, 

 to whose sensitive soul these appeals were any thing but satisfactory, 

 "do as I bid you this is the only time I mean to die, I tell you I 

 can't die every day, like a grasshopper. I shall make myself ready 

 before Slash arrives. Come, pluck up a good heart that's it no, 

 corners of mouth a leetle more drawn down that'll do.'' 



Left to himself, the barber straightways invested himself in his 

 long bedgown, and endued himself with a carefully bleached night- 

 cap, which he tied under the chin. And now, drawing forth a 

 powder-puff, he gingerly variegated the surface of his countenance 

 with azure-spots, and seizing the looking-glass, with anxious scrutiny 

 examined the result. 



The key of the door inserted into the lock aroused him from a re- 

 verie into which he had fallen, and, starting up, he sprang up-stairs 

 with the agility of a monkey, and was enveloped in the bed-clothes 

 in a moment. 



It was Mrs. Singe, who now entered the apartment alone. 



"Well, have you told Slash?" cried the barber, cautiously disclosing 

 his disfigured front from the edge of the coverlid. 



" I have, Samuel (la! how shocking you look!), and he has sent 

 you some physic ; '' and the careful woman, as she spoke, drew from 

 beneath her shawl a large bottle of medicine. " It must all be taken 

 directly." 



" When is he coming?" demanded Singe. " He had better be here 

 soon, if he wishes to see me alive, for I mean to die in half an hour; 

 as for the physic, let that be thrown down the sink, it may do good 

 to some of the rats we laid the poison for a few days ago." 



" He can't be here before the afternnoon," answered the wife ; 

 " he says he has other patients to attend to of more importance than 

 you. Mr. Ichneumon's children are all lying dangerously ill of the 

 scarlet fever." 



" Serve 'em right, serve 'em right/' cried the barber, with malig- 

 nant emphasis ; " they discarded me." 



" Oh ! don't say so, Samuel, the poor innocents had nothing to do 

 with that ; there they have been at death's door such blisterings 

 all their little heads shaved " 



" Which I should have done," interrupted Singe, furiously, " if it 



