isted in my refusal.

Mr. Nosnibor, he continued, "is a man of at least 500,000 horse-power"
(for their way of reckoning and classifying men is by the number of foot
pounds which they have money enough to raise, or more roughly by their
horse-power), "and keeps a capital table; besides, his two daughters are
among the most beautiful women in Erewhon."

When I heard all this, I confess that I was much shaken, and inquired
whether he was favourably considered in the best society.

"Certainly," was the answer; "no man in the country stands higher."

He then went on to say that one would have thought from my manner that my
proposed host had had jaundice or pleurisy or been generally unfortunate,
and that I was in fear of infection.

"I am not much afraid of infection," said I, impatiently, "but I have
some regard for my character; and if I know a man to be an embezzler of
other people's money, be sure of it, I will give him as wide a berth as I
can. If he were ill or poor--"

"Ill or poor!" interrupted the interpreter, with a face of great alarm.
"So that's your notion of propriety! You would consort with the basest
criminals, and yet deem simple embezzlement a bar to friendly
intercourse. I cannot understand you."

"But I am poor myself," cried I.

"You were," said he; "and you were liable to be severely punished for
it,--indeed, at the council which was held concerning you, this fact was
very nearly consigning you to what I should myself consider a
well-deserved chastisement" (for he was getting angry, and so was I);
"but the Queen was so inquisitive, and wanted so much to see you, that
she petitioned the King and made him give you his pardon, and assign you
a pension in consideration of your meritorious complexion. It is lucky
for you that he has not heard what you have been saying now, or he would
be sure to cancel it."

As I heard these words my heart sank within me. I felt the extreme
difficulty of my position, and how wicked I should be in running counter
to established usage. I remained silent for several minutes, and then
said that I should be happy to accept the embezzler's invitation,--on
which my instructor brightened and said I was a sensible fellow. But I
felt very uncomfortable. When he had left the room, I mused over the
conversation which had just taken place between us, but I could make
nothing out of it, except that it argued an even greater perversity of
mental vision than I had been ye