IN THE TEST. MR. PEEBLES* STORY. 137 



alarmed, and struck, at this cachinatory explosion. 

 My Juliana in company with wine-bibbers and 

 drunkards! My Juliana, who had not a friend 

 in the world, drowning her cares in the * nut-brown 

 bowl.' 'Twas horrible. However, as I wished to 

 be certain of her delinquencies before I condemned, 

 I looked through the key-hole, and beheld a scene 

 which stamped her as a traitress, and me as a de- 

 luded ass. At the head of the table sat the romantic 

 Juliana, drinking brandy and water, opposite her 

 was my own man servant, and the rest of the com- 

 pany consisted of fat and lean rouged women, with 

 flowery gowns, and their hair in paper, and gentle- 

 men in plush shorts and rail-road cotton stockings. 

 The frightful truth flashed upon me, and unable to 

 bear the sight any longer, I burst into the apart- 

 ment. ' Peebles,' shrieked Juliana. Never was 

 such a scene beheld. The women screamed, the 

 men rushed to their hats, the table was overturned, 

 and the faithless Juliana fell on her knees before 

 me. I bade them hold their tongues in a voice of 

 thunder, and turning to Juliana, * Yes, false one, 1 

 I said, ' it is the injured Peebles. So, madam, is 

 * this your love? Is this your gratitude? Cocka- 

 ' trice ! Viper that I have nourished in my bosom 

 ' only to be stung. Go, I've done with thee. 

 4 Repent in silence and seclusion your treachery, 

 ' and may you feel the bitterest pangs of remorse 

 ' for the misery you have entailed on me/ This 



