172 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



■fixed to take place on the fourteenth of next month, St. Valen- 

 tine's day. That is to be a splendid affair, as all are requested 

 to appear in characters or fancy dresses. "What is yours to be, 

 Blanche 1 " 



" I really have not thought much about it yet, Selina : but 

 here comes your brother." 



" Eh — Miss Douglas — glad to see you looking so bewitching 

 to-night. 'Pon honour, roses all returned — frightened enough, 

 I dare say, at first ; demmed disagreeable affair — lucky it's no 

 worse — journey to Scotland no joke at this time of year — nolens 

 volens, and all that sort of thing. But Dick did the thing 

 cleverly — all volens in his case. Demmit ! how old Mervyn 

 stormed and Haved ! — cracked, they say, ever since. Lost five 

 hundred pounds as well as his daughter — served the old villain 

 right — regularly floored — wish he'd been shot instead of Will 

 Beauchamp. Poor fellow ! looks very white about the gills 

 still." 



"There, Ned, that will do," said his sister ; " we have heard 

 enough of that story." 



" Then, Miss Douglas, may I have the honour — first quad- 

 rille, or second, eh 1" 



"Neither," replied Blanche, laughing, "but the fourth, if 

 you particularly desire it." 



" Thank you, Miss Douglas, feel greatly honoured, and all 

 that sort of thing ;" with which the captain walked off. 



" Ned is not such a very bad sort of fellow, after all," re- 

 marked Selina, " although, I must confess, an egregious fool in 

 some respects ; but he knows what is due to our sex, and has 

 very honourable, upright feelings, and, I believe, nothing would 

 induce him to do a mean or cowardly action." 



" I assure you, Selina, I entertain the same opinion of your 

 brother, and am always glad to dance -with him when I can, 

 as he is ever most gentlemanly and kind in his manner, and the 

 very reverse of Richard Vernon." 



" Well, there is one comfort, Blanche, we shall never be 

 troubled with that cur again ; but what a fate for that poor 

 girl, to be linked for life to such a man ! What fools girls are 

 to be taken by handsome-looking men, who have no other re- 

 commendation ; I had rather marry the ugliest man, with a 

 good heart and disposition, than the veriest Adonis without 

 these qualities; and it is far better to learn to love a plain man 

 for his virtues, than to be obliged to dislike a handsome one for 

 his vices, after marriage ; but a truce to our moralising, as the 



