Honourably accounts for Mr. Weller’s Absence, by describing a Soiree to which he was invited and wen

           ‘Mr.Weller,’saidMrs.Craddock,uponthemorningofthisveryeventfulday,‘here’saletterforyou.’

           ‘Weryoddthat,’saidSam;‘I’mafeerdtheremustbesomethin’thematter,forIdon’trecollectanygen’l’m’ninmycircleofacquaintanceasiscapableo’writin’one.’

           ‘Perhapssomethinguncommonhastakenplace,’observedMrs.Craddock.

           ‘Itmustbesomethin’weryuncommonindeed,ascouldperducealetterouto’anyfriendo’mine,’repliedSam,shakinghisheaddubiously;‘nothin’lessthananat’ralconwulsion,astheyounggen’l’m’nobservedvenhewostookwithfits.Itcan’tbefromthegov’ner,’saidSam,lookingatthedirection.‘Healwaysprints,Iknow,‘coshelearntwritin’fromthelargebillsinthebooking-offices.It’sawerystrangethingnow,wherethisherelettercanha’comefrom.’

           AsSamsaidthis,hedidwhatagreatmanypeopledowhentheyareuncertainaboutthewriterofanote—lookedattheseal,andthenatthefront,andthenattheback,andthenatthesides,andthenatthesuperscription;and,asalastresource,thoughtperhapshemightaswelllookattheinside,andtrytofindoutfromthat.

           ‘It’swroteongilt-edgedpaper,’saidSam,asheunfoldedit,‘andsealedinbronzevaxviththetopofadoorkey.Nowforit.’And,withaverygraveface,Mr.