prompted the
duel.

Time was fast flying as the two oddly-assorted comrades talked, and
soon the valet appeared at the door with the perruquier in his
wake, informing his master that several gentlemen waited below, and
that all was in readiness for the morning toilet.

"Heigh-ho!" sighed the young exquisite. "Why can we not rise from
our couches like the beast of the field, give ourselves a shake,
and be ready for the day's work? These levees are the bane of my
life. But fashion, fashion, fashion! She is the goddess of the
hour. Tom, sit over yonder, and watch the follies of thy kind. Keep
a quiet tongue, and I'll see you are not baited.

"And now, let in the popinjays and chattering monkeys; for the
sooner we begin, the sooner comes the end!"

The next two hours presented a marvellous spectacle to Tom. There
were perhaps some eight to twelve young sparks about town coming
and going during that time, some remaining the whole toilet
through, others roving off to other similar scenes. Whilst the
perruquier plied his skilful hands in the curling, powdering, and
arranging of Lord Claud's abundant golden hair, which some days was
powdered and some days left as nature had ordered, they sat beside
him in a row upon the bed and chattered of all the latest bits of
scandal, the wittiest retorts of this or that sprightly dame, the
on dit of the town, the quarrels of the gaming houses, and the
doings of the court.

When Lord Claud left his bed and began arraying himself in the soft
and costly array provided by his valet, his friends amused
themselves by joining with him in the perfuming of his person;
borrowing his essences to sprinkle upon their own fine clothes,
washing their hands in milk and perfume to make them white and
delicate; and calling to his valet to re-tie and arrange their
lace-edged cravats in imitation of the style affected by Lord
Claud.

Some of them removed their wigs, and asked the perruquier to give
them an extra powdering; others got at the cosmetic boxes upon the
toilet table, and gave a touch of carmine to cheeks which the
night's revel had left wan. Some gave infinite pains to the
arrangement of a patch to resemble a dimple; and all desired to dip
their handkerchiefs in the silver bowl of rare scent which was
offered almost the last thing to the master of all these luxuries.

Tom sat in his corner and looked on in amaze. He had felt himself a
very pretty dandy whilst being arrayed in his new clo