ey
are to be married next month."

Mr. Richard Bassett digested this fresh pill in moody silence, while
the gentlemen of the club discussed the engagement with easy levity.
They soon passed to a topic of wider interest, viz., who was to succeed
Sir Charles with La Somerset. Bassett began to listen attentively, and
learned for the first time Sir Charles Bassett's connection with that
lady, and also that she was a woman of a daring nature and furious
temper. At first he was merely surprised; but soon hatred and jealousy
whispered in his ear that with these materials it must be possible to
wound those who had wounded him.

Mr. Marsh, a young gentleman with a receding chin, and a mustache
between hay and straw, had taken great care to let them all know he was
acquainted with Miss Somerset. So Richard got Marsh alone, and sounded
him. Could he call upon the lady without ceremony?

"You won't get in. Her street door is jolly well guarded, I can tell
you."

"I am very curious to see her in her own house."

"So are a good many fellows."

"Could you not give me an introduction?"

Marsh shook his head sapiently for a considerable time, and with all
this shaking, as it appeared, out fell words of wisdom. "Don't see it.
I'm awfully spooney on her myself; and, you know, when a fellow
introduces another fellow, that fellow always cuts the other out."
Then, descending from the words of the wise and their dark sayings to a
petty but pertinent fact, he added, _"Besides,_ I'm only let in myself
about once in five times."

"She gives herself wonderful airs, it seems," said Bassett, rather
bitterly.

Marsh fired up. "So would any woman that was as beautiful, and as witty
and as much run after as she is. Why she is a leader of fashion. Look
at all the ladies following her round the park. They used to drive on
the north side of the Serpentine. She just held up her finger, and now
they have cut the Serpentine, and followed her to the south drive."

"Oh, indeed!" said Bassett. "Ah then this is a great lady; a poor
country squire must not venture into her august presence." He turned
savagely on his heel, and Marsh went and made sickly mirth at his
expense.

By this means the matter soon came to the ears of old Mr. Woodgate, the
father of that club, and a genial gossip. He got hold of Bassett in the
dinner-room and examined him. "So you want an introduction to La
Somerset, and Marsh refuses--Marsh, hitherto celebrated for his weak