he felt ashamed; ashamed that Lady Barbara should praise
him beyond his merits, as he conceived.

He made a faint hypocritical endeavor to moderate her eulogium; this
gave matters an unexpected turn, Lady Barbara's eyes flashed defiance.

"I say it was a noble action, that one nursed in effeminacy (as you all
are) should teach the hardy seamen to mock at peril--noble fellow!"

"He did a man's duty, Barbara."

"Ipsden, take care, you will make me hate you, if you detract from a
deed you cannot emulate. This gentleman risked his own life to save
others--he is a hero! I should know him by his face the moment I saw
him. Oh, that I were such a man, or knew where to find such a creature!"

The water came into Lord Ipsden's eyes; he did not know what to say or
do; he turned away his head. Lady Barbara was surprised; her conscience
smote her.

"Oh, dear," said she, "there now, I have given you pain--forgive me;
we can't all be heroes; dear Ipsden, don't think I despise you now as I
used. Oh, no! I have heard of your goodness to the poor, and I have more
experience now. There is nobody I esteem more than you, Richard, so you
need not look so."

"Thank you, dearest Barbara."

"Yes, and if you were to be such a goose as to write me another letter
proposing absurdities to me--"

"Would the answer be different?"

"Very different."

"Oh, Barbara, would you accept?"

"Why, of course not; but I would refuse civilly!"

"Ah!"

"There, don't sigh; I hate a sighing man. I'll tell you something that
I know will make you laugh." She then smiled saucily in his face, and
said, "Do you remember Mr.----?"

_L'effronte'e!_ this was the earnest man. But Ipsden was a match for her
this time. "I think I do," said he; "a gentleman who wants to make John
Bull little again into John Calf; but it won't do."

Her ladyship laughed. "Why did you not tell us that on Inch Coombe?"

"Because I had not read _The Catspaw_ then."

_"The Catspaw?_ Ah! I thought it could not be you. Whose is it?"

"Mr. Jerrold's."

"Then Mr. Jerrold is cleverer than you."

"It is possible."

"It is certain! Well, Mr. Jerrold and Lord Ipsden, you will both be glad
to hear that it was, in point of fact, a bull that confuted the advocate
of the Middle Ages; we were walking; he was telling me manhood was
extinct except in a few earnest men who lived upon the past, its
associations, its truth; when a horrid bull gave--oh--such a bellow! and
came trotting u