you that every buck and dandy--every mincing macaroni in the
three kingdoms would give his very legs to marry her--either for
her beauty or her fortune?" spluttered the baronet. "And let me
inform you further that she's devilish high and haughty with it
all--they do say she even rebuffed the Prince Regent himself."

"But then, sir, I consider myself a better man than the Prince
Regent," said I.

Sir Richard sank into the nearest chair and stared at me
openmouthed.

"Sir," I continued, "you doubtless set me down as an egoist of
egoists. I freely confess it; so are you, so is Mr. Grainger
yonder, so are we all of us egoists in thinking ourselves as good
as some few of our neighbors and better than a great many."

"Deuce take me!" said Sir Richard.

"Referring to the Lady Sophia, I have heard that she once
galloped her horse up the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral--"

"And down again, Peter," added Sir Richard.

"Also she is said to be possessed of a temper," I continued, "and
is above the average height, I believe, and I have a natural
antipathy to termagants, more especially tall ones."

"Termagant!" cried Sir Richard. "Why, she's the handsomest woman
in London, boy. She's none of your milk-and-watery, meek-mouthed