ittle, and we men
are susceptible. She goes to Shepperton Church every Sunday--drawn there,
let us suppose, by Mr. Barton's eloquence.'

'Pshaw,' said Mr. Farquhar: 'Now, to my mind, you have only to look at
that woman to thee what she ith--throwing her eyth about when she comth
into church, and drething in a way to attract attention. I should thay,
she'th tired of her brother Bridmain, and looking out for another brother
with a thtronger family likeneth. Mithith Farquhar ith very fond of
Mithith Barton, and ith quite dithtrethed that she should athothiate with
thuch a woman, tho she attacked him on the thubject purpothly. But I tell
her it'th of no uthe, with a pig-headed fellow like him. Barton'th
well-meaning enough, but _tho_ contheited. I've left off giving him my
advithe.'

Mr. Ely smiled inwardly and said to himself, 'What a punishment!' But to
Mr. Farquhar he said, 'Barton might be more judicious, it must be
confessed.' He was getting tired, and did not want to develop the
subject.

'Why, nobody vithit-th them but the Bartonth,' continued Mr. Farquhar,
'and why should thuch people come here, unleth they had particular
reathonth for preferring a neighbourhood where they are not known? Pooh!
it lookth bad on the very fathe of it. _You_ called on them, now; how did
you find them?'

'O!--Mr. Bridmain strikes me as a common sort of man, who is making an
effort to seem wise and well-bred. He comes down on one tremendously with
political information, and seems knowing about the king of the French.
The Countess is certainly a handsome woman, but she puts on the grand air
a little too powerfully. Woodcock was immensely taken with her, and
insisted on his wife's calling on her and asking her to dinner; but I
think Mrs. Woodcock turned restive after the first visit, and wouldn't
invite her again.'

'Ha, ha! Woodcock hath alwayth a thoft place in hith heart for a pretty
fathe. It'th odd how he came to marry that plain woman, and no fortune
either.'

'Mysteries of the tender passion,' said Mr. Ely. 'I am not initiated yet,
you know.'

Here Mr. Farquhar's carriage was announced, and as we have not found his
conversation particularly brilliant under the stimulus of Mr. Ely's
exceptional presence, we will not accompany him home to the less exciting
atmosphere of domestic life.

Mr. Ely threw himself with a sense of relief into his easiest chair, set
his feet on the hobs, and in this attitude of bachelor enjoyment beg