298 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



his mother's party, to whom you all (more recent acquaintances) 

 are invited, I must be wilfully blind not to perceive the intended 



slight." 



" In my opinion," observed Conyers, " Will is acting per- 

 fectly right, and if I saw any man inclined to cut me, I would 

 save the necessity of our acquaintance dying such a lingering 

 death by cutting him dead at once. Some of these grandees 

 condescend to be very sociable, and shake hands with us 

 country fellows on our own ground, where we may help in their 

 amusement of hunting, or serve them for electioneering pur- 

 poses ; but when tliey meet us in town, the fog, I suppose, pre- 

 vents them distinguishing such insigniiicant Liliputians, except 

 through a magnifying glass, and then a very distant bow is the 

 only sign of recognition." 



" But I heard Lord Danby invite you to this ball myself," 

 said Malcolm. 



" Very true, my lord, and the same honour was conferred on 

 Melville, Markham, and others, in my hearing. Beauchamp's 

 exclusion, therefore, is more pointed ; and as I am one of those 

 old-fashioned fellows who act upon the love me, love my dog 

 principle, and consider a slight to my best friend as an insult to 

 myself, the conclusion to which I have come is very obvious — 

 the duchess will not be incommoded by my presence to-night, 

 and Lord Danby will be spared the trouble of raising his hat to 

 me for the future." 



"By Jove! Conyers," exclaimed Malcolm, "you are as 

 ticklish as Beauchamp." 



" If by ticklish, my lord, you mean sensitive to unprovoked 

 insult, or contemptuous conduct towards myself or my friends, 

 you have judged rightly of my character. Not for one moment 

 will I submit to either; and as Beauchamp cannot go to 

 Castleton House to-night, I certainly shall not." 



" Then, what do you propose doing ? " 



" Oh, whilst you and the ladies are scanning the beauties 

 masculine and feminine in high life, I will take Beauchamp to 

 the green-room, behind the scenes, in Covent Garden, and have 

 a look at the beauties in low life, and finish up with a lobster 

 supper." 



This conversation having commenced after the dessert was 

 placed on the table, Lady Malcolm now rose, leaving the gentle- 

 men to finish their discussion, when Lord Malcolm, failing to 

 alter the two friends' determination, and beginning to lose his 

 temper, proposed joining the ladies. Lady Malcolm had retired 



