A GENT. 17 



all this mimicry of cleanliness, althougli the ladies 

 were evidently disgusted, for myself I confess that I 

 was fascinated, and for a time a fixture to the cabin 

 floor ; although within me burned an extraordinary 

 desire to become the champion of Woman. 



" Well," I whispered to myself, " now for it ! " 

 One of those gentlemen at table with the ladies will 

 assuredly poise yonder lump of butter on the end of 

 a fork, and, sling-like, lodge it in the gent's eye, 

 with a civilly expressed desire to assist his soap ! 

 But no, nothing of the sort took place. So, thinkincr 

 that, were I to thrust myself forward in protection of 

 ladies, whose lawful protectors were perhaps seated 

 by their sides, and a *' row " was the consequence, 

 the press of the United Kingdom would head in- 

 numerable columns with '^Mr. Grantley Berkeley 

 again ! " — with an immense effort I shook off the 

 horrible fascination, stared idiotically on the inactive 

 gentlemen and the recumbent butter, and again trod 

 the lively deck and breathed the healthful and sooth- 

 ing blessings of the seaborne breeze. 



On the signal being made that there was sufficient 

 water to admit us, we steamed into port ; and then 

 what a bustle took place — " Every one for himself; 

 Heaven," I hope, " for us all ; and the devil take the 

 hindmost." 



c 



