A VIRGINIAN. 35 



be hard work for me to keep up the common show of 

 civility toward him." 



" I did not know you were so straight-laced, colo- 

 nel," replied Matuschevitz, laughing; " and paidon 

 me, if I say that I do not think your practice agrees 

 altogether with your principles." 



"Who, I straight-laced?" exclaimed the Virginian, 

 starting to his feet. " Not the least bit of it, I assure 

 you, count. On the contrary, if there be one thing on 

 earth that I do most cordially and utterly detest, it ia 

 the hypocrite. I, heaven knows ! I have no claim to 

 superior virtue ; I drink sometimes, I play sometimes 

 — and both of them more than is either wise or good ; 

 I make love very often — almost as often as I see a 

 very pretty or a very piquante woman. I dare say I 

 do all sorts of bad things, sometimes ; but what I mean 

 to say is, that I do not make such things the rule and 

 object of my life — that if I do such things at all, I do 

 them from impulse, not from calculation, and am very 

 sorry for them afterward. For the rest, if I da 

 wrongly myself, I had rather cut oflf my right hand 

 than induce another to do likewise." 



" I believe you, my dear fellow, entirely ; and I 

 think as you do myself. I have no respect whatever, 

 nor regard for such characters as Cheshire myself; 

 nor do I lead him to suppose I have ; but I treat him, 

 when I meet him in society, as one gentleman is ex- 

 pected to treat another. I go to his house because I 

 meet every body that I know, and many persons whom 

 I value there ; and I ask him to mine in return, be- 

 cause I am expected so to do, and because some sac- 

 rifice of our own prejudices is due to society. But 

 enough of this for the present. It has got to be three 

 o'clock while we are talking morals ; suppose we have 

 some luncheon, and then walk down to the stables and 

 take a look at the horses." 



