ous
generations on the male side, and that was its virtue. His view of the
shifty turns of women got no further, for the reason that he took small
account of the operations of the feelings, to the sole exercise of which
he by system condemned the sex.

He was also insensibly half a grain more soured by the homage of those
poor schoolboys, who called to him to take it for his reward in a country
whose authorities had snubbed, whose Parliament had ignored, whose Press
had abused him. The ridiculous balance made him wilfully oblivious that
he had seen his name of late eulogized in articles and in books for the
right martial qualities. Can a country treating a good soldier--not
serving it for pay--in so scurvy a fashion, be struck too hard with our
disdain? One cannot tell it in too plain a language how one despises its
laws, its moralities, its sham of society. The Club, some choice
anecdotists, two or three listeners to his dolences clothed as diatribes;
a rubber, and the sight of his girl at home, composed, with a week's
shooting now and then, his round of life now that she refused to travel.
What a life for a soldier in his vigour. Weyburn was honoured by the
earl's company on the walk to Chiallo's. In the street of elegant shops
they met Lord Adderwood, and he, as usual, appeared in the act of
strangling one of his flock of yawns, with gentlemanly consideration for
the public. Exercise was ever his temporary specific for these
incurables. Flinging off his coat, he cast away the cynic style
engendering or engendered by them. He and Weyburn were for a bout. Sir
John Randeller and Mr. Morsfield were at it, like Bull in training and
desperado foiled. A French 'maitre d'armes,' famed in 'escrime,' standing
near Captain Chiallo, looked amused in the eyes, behind a mask of
professional correctness. He had come on an excursion for the display of
his art. Sir John's very sturdy defence was pierced. Weyburn saluted the
Frenchman as an acquaintance, and they shook hands, chatted, criticized,
nodded. Presently he and his adversary engaged, vizored and in their
buckram, and he soon proved to be too strong for Adderwood, as the latter
expected and had notified to Lord Ormont before they crossed the steel.
My lord had a pleasant pricking excitement in the sound. There was a
pretty display between Weyburn and the 'escrimeur,' who neatly and kindly
trifled, took a point and returned one, and at the finish complimented
him. The earl cou