proceed no further.  The ladies retired to the withdrawing-room:  the gentlemen soon followed; but the effects of the wine were so apparent upon most of them that Captain Drawlock summoned Newton to his assistance, and was in a state of extreme anxiety until his “responsibilities” were safe at home.  Shortly afterwards, Captain Carrington and those who were the least affected, by persuasion and force, removed the others from the house; and the bridal party were left to themselves, to deliberate whether they should or should not obey the preposterous demands of the reverend bishop.

Captain Carrington was excessively fond of a joke, and never lost the opportunity when it occurred:  now, it happened that in the party invited there was a merchant of the name of Sullivan, who, upon his last visit to England, had returned with a very pretty, and at the same time, a very coquettish young lady as his wife.  It happened, in the casualties of a large dinner party, that the old colonel (Ellice was his name, if I have not mentioned it before) was seated next to her, and, as usual, was remarkably attentive.  Mr Sullivan, like many other gentlemen, was very inattentive to his wife, and, unlike most Irishmen, was very jealous of her.  The very marked attention of the colonel had not escaped his notice; neither did his fidgeting upon this occasion escape the notice of those about him, who were aware of his disposition.  The poor colonel was one of those upon whose brain the wine had taken the most effect; and it was not until after sundry falls, and being again placed upon his legs, that he had been conveyed home between Captain Carrington and Mr——­, the merchant at whose house the party from the Bombay Castle were residing.  The ensuing morning he did not make his appearance at breakfast; and the gentlemen residing on the island, commenting upon the events of the evening before, declared in a joking way that they should not be surprised at Mr Sullivan sending him a challenge in the course of the morning; that was, if he was up so soon, as he had quitted the house in a greater state of inebriety than even the colonel.  It was upon this hint that Captain Carrington proposed to have some amusement; and having arranged it with one of the junior partners of the house, he went into the room of the colonel, whom he found still in bed.

“Well, colonel, how do you find yourself?” said Captain Carrington, when he had roused him.

“Oh! very bad, indeed:  my head is ready to split; never felt such a sensation in my head before, except when I was struck with a spent ball at the battle of—­”

“I am very sorry for your headache, colonel:  but more sorry that the wine should have played you such a trick last night.”

“Trick, indeed!” replied the colonel; “I was completely overcome.  I do not recollect a word that passed after I quitted the dinner-table.”

“Are you serious?  Do you not recollect the scene with Mrs Sullivan?”