in contact with him, as a person of great authority and importance.
One morning after the period just mentioned had! elapsed, he and his
graceful son, "Mister Phil," were sitting in the parlor of Constitution
Cottage, for so they were pleased to designate a house which had no
pretension whatever to that unpretending appellation.

"So father," said Phil, "you don't forget that such was the treatment
M'Loughlin gave you!"

"Why, I remember it, Phil; but you know, Phil, I'm a patient and a
forgiving man notwithstanding; you know that Phil;--ha, ha, ha!"

"That was certainly the worst case came across us yet," replied the son,
"none of the rest ventured to go so far, even when you had less power
than you have now."

"I didn't tell you all, Phil," continued the father, following up the
same train of thought.

"And why not," said Phil, "why should you conceal anything from me?"

"Because," replied the other, "I think you have heard enough for the
present."

The fact was, that M'Clutchy's consciousness of the truth contained
in M'Loughlin's indignant reproaches, was such as prevented him from
repeating them, even to his son, knowing right well that had he done
so they could not exactly have looked each other in the face without
sensations regarding their own conduct, which neither of them wished to
avow. There is a hypocrisy in villainy sometimes so deep that it cannot