21
	             And Flight.
Swinton came in (whom I had not seen since
he called on me in the �Constellation� days) and
John Angell Wood, who, with rounded eyes and per-
spiration beading his whiskers, commenced talking
on the topic � Cahill�s obsconding.        And, going
up in to �Momus� office, Addey�s first words were,
�What has become of Mr. Cahill?,� which I had
scarcely answered when, like one of Job�s messengers,
enters little Boweryem, with, �I�ve just heard
something very dreadful!�       At Haney�s, of
course the same topic.     Mrs. Levison had announ-
ced it to him with, �Well, Mr. Cahill has cut
his stick!� when Haney, shocked and grieved
by the news, went out, as he said, got
drunk � in other words took four brandy cock-
tails.      I stayed there perhaps an hour (during
which Smith of the �Courier� and another man
came in, and they talked of the one topic) and
then left with Haney.    As we passed Crook and
Duff�s, there was John Wood retailing particu-
lars to O�Brien, Frank Wood and Arnold, per-
haps others of the �Vanity Fair� troupe.   At first
I had proposed Haney should sup with me, but
on the suggestion that we should find the one
topic rampant at our table, we reversed the ar-
rangement and I went to 16th street.        Leslie
and his wife, Miss Cooper, Mrs. Potter at table,