42 A VIRGmiAJT. 



to bring the tail over upon his hip, a canary-colored 

 waistcoat, and drab riding-trousers fitting as close as 

 his skin. 



If he had been, as from his appearance and air he 

 well might, a west-end shopman doing the genteel, or 

 a sporting stock-broker cutting it fat, he would have 

 been voted by every one who saw him, what he really 

 was, a disagreeable, over-done snob, and a most insuf- 

 ferably vulgar puppy. But as he was a very rich, 

 and very-long-descended earl, none of whose ancestors 

 had in the least resembled their descendant, he was 

 the fashion, and the bad exemplar of the dissolute of 

 Young England. 



The gentleman who walked beside him was taller 

 by a head, admirably well proportioned, and as fine a 

 specimen of an English nobleman as ever gladdened 

 the eyes of bluff King Harry, or his man-minded 

 daughter, Royal Bess, of both whom it is recorded 

 that they loved to look upon the thewes and sinews of 

 a man. 



His features were as fine, as noble, and as hand- 

 some as his person and his mien ; and his expression 

 the openest, the kindest, and the most unaffected 

 that ever encouraged an inferior to present his suit 

 with confidence. 



Whereas the other, despite his insufferable air of 

 pride, affectation and superciliousness, despite his 

 flashy clothes and jaunty air, could hardly be mis- 

 taken for a gentleman, this one had such an air of in- 

 born natural aristocracy that, despite the plain, good- 

 humored simplicity of his address, even had he been 

 disguised in the meanest and most clownish garb, no 

 one could doubt for a moment, that he stood in the 

 presence of a nobleman. 



"" Ah, Matuschevitz, how do?" 



" How are you, count ?" 



^'Well, Ches — Good morning to you, duke. Let 



