accused of it?'

Lika slipped from the question. 'Who is accused of a newspaper's doings?
It is but the denial of a statement.'

'I dare them to deny it!--and, Lika, my dear fellow, light me a
cigarette,' said my father.

'Then,' said Lika, touching the flame delicately, 'you take the view
that Kesensky is wrong in another thing besides horses.'

I believe he struck on the subject casually: there was nothing for him
to gain or lose in it; and he had a liking for my father.

After puffing the cigarette twice or thrice my father threw it down,
resuming his conversation upon the sedan, the appropriate dresses of
certain of the great masquerading ladies, and an incident that appeared
to charge Jorian DeWitt with having misconducted himself. The moment
Lika had gone upstairs for two or three hours' sleep, he said to
me: 'Richie, you and I have no time for that. We must have a man
at Falmouth's house by eight o'clock. If the scrubbing-maid on all
fours-not an inelegant position, I have remarked--declares him dead,
we are at Bartlett's (money-lender) by ten: and in Chippenden borough
before two post meridian. As I am a tactician, there is mischief! but I
will turn it to my uses, as I did our poor Jorian to-night; he smuggled
in the Chassediane: I led her out on my arm. Of that by and by. The
point is, that from your oath in Parliament you fly to Sarkeld. I
implore you now, by your love for me and the princess, not to lose
precious minutes. Richie, we will press things so that you shall be in
Sarkeld by the end of the month. My son! my dear boy! how you loved me
once!--you do still! then follow my directions. I have a head. Ay, you
think it wild? 'Tis true, my mother was a poetess. But I will convince
my son as I am convincing the world-tut, tut! To avoid swelling talk,
I tell you, Richie, I have my hand on the world's wheel, and now is the
time for you to spring from it and gain your altitude. If you fail, my
success is emptiness.'

'Will you avoid Edbury and his like, and protect yourself?' was my form
of stipulation, spoken to counteract his urgency.

He gave no answer beyond a wave of the hand suitable to his princely
one-coloured costume of ruffled lavender silk, and the magnificent
leg he turned to front me. My senses even up to that period were so
impressionable as to be swayed by a rich dress and a grand manner
when circumstances were not too unfavourable. Now they seemed very
favourable, for they offered me an