96 OCCASIONAL HAPPY THOUGHTS. 



a general summing up) — and I have answered, that, taking 

 me altogether (that is, not in isolated details), " I've been 

 very well," the conversation seems to flag, until it occurs to 

 me, not as something brilliant, but at least a return for 

 polite enquiries, and, in any case, less depressing than 

 silence, to ask him with a sort of tender heartiness — 



" And how have j^;/ been ? " 



The Four Ladies and the Dismounted Visitor are watching 

 this scene v»-ith, apparently, as much interest as though it 

 were the keenest encounter between two of the greatest wits 

 of the day. 



" Well,"' replies PulHnger, in a confident tone, " I've been 

 — married."' 



Hereat the Ladies all smile. So does the Dismounted 

 Visitor, and nods approvingly. I notice that he only stands 

 on one leg at a time : keeping tlie other in reserve like a 

 stork. At this point, which he evidently puts down as 

 scoring one to Pullinger (the state of the game being, 

 Pullinger '"one" to my '"nothing"), he relieves guard with 

 his left leg, vv'hich conies on duty while the right leg retires 

 for a Httle temporary relaxation. 



Happy TJioitgJit, on hearing of PuUinger's having been 

 married, to say, " Indeed ! 1 am glad of it ! " because the 

 Ladies are present, and one of them is, probably, Mrs. 

 Pullinger. 



It now occurs to Pullinger that the time has arrived when 

 he will introduce his Ladies, The first Lady is all black 

 velvet and Astrachan, and wears a veil, which, reaching to the 



