his beast of a dog,
"don't you know a bitch when you see one?" I was in the most ferocious
rage! If he hadn't been a big burly bully, down he'd have gone. "Why
didn't you say what it was?" I roared. "Why," says he, "the word isn't
considered polite!" I gave him a cut there. I said, "I rejoice to be
positively assured that you uphold the laws and forms of civilization,
sir." My belief is he didn't feel it.'

'The thrust sinned in its shrewdness,' remarked Evan, ending a laugh.

'Hem!' went Mr. Raikes, more contentedly: 'after all, what are
appearances to the man of wit and intellect? Dress, and women will
approve you: but I assure you they much prefer the man of wit in his
slouched hat and stockings down. I was introduced to the Duke this
morning. It is a curious thing that the seduction of a Duchess has always
been one of my dreams.'

At this Andrew Cogglesby fell into a fit of laughter.

'Your servant,' said Mr. Raikes, turning to him. And then he muttered
'Extraordinary likeness! Good Heavens! Powers!'

From a state of depression, Mr. Raikes--changed into one of bewilderment.
Evan paid no attention to him, and answered none of his hasty undertoned
questions. Just then, as they were on the skirts of the company, the band
struck up a lively tune, and quite unconsciously, the legs of Raikes,
affected, it may be, by supernatural reminiscences, loosely hornpiped. It
was but a moment: he remembered himself the next: but in that fatal
moment eyes were on him. He never recovered his dignity in Beckley Court:
he was fatally mercurial.

'What is the joke against this poor fellow?' asked Evan of Andrew.

'Never mind, Van. You'll roar. Old Tom again. We 'll see by-and-by, after
the champagne. He--this young Raikes-ha! ha!--but I can't tell you.' And
Andrew went away to Drummond, to whom he was more communicative. Then he
went to Melville, and one or two others, and the eyes of many became
concentrated on Raikes, and it was observed as a singular sign that he
was constantly facing about, and flushing the fiercest red. Once he made
an effort to get hold of Evan's arm and drag him away, as one who had an
urgent confession to be delivered of, but Evan was talking to Lady
Jocelyn, and other ladies, and quietly disengaged his arm without even
turning to notice the face of his friend. Then the dinner was announced,
and men saw the dinner. The Countess went to shake her brother's hand,
and with a very gratulatory visage, said thro