rse as he spoke; but I stopped him suddenly with,--

"No need of that, sir; I accept your invitation. The honor alone is
enough for me."

"But you must have a coat, Jack, and ruffles, man."

"I 'll not disgrace you, sir,--at least, so far as appearance goes,"
said I.

He stared at me for a second or two, and then said,--

"By Jove! I was certain of it. Well, seven o'clock is the hour.
Kensington,--every one knows the Bird Cage."

I touched my cap and bowed. He gravely returned my salute, and walked
on between his friends, whose loud laughter continued to ring out for a
long way down the street.

My first impressions were, I own, the reverse of agreeable, and I felt
heart-sick with shame for having accepted the invitation. The very
burst of laughter told me in what point of view they regarded the
whole incident. I was, doubtless, to be the ignoble instrument of some
practical joke. At first I tortured my ingenuity to think how I could
revenge myself for the indignity; but I suddenly remembered that I had
made myself a willing party to the scheme, whatever it might be. I had
agreed to avail myself of the invitation, and should, therefore, accept
its consequences.

With what harassing doubts did I rack my suffering brain! At one time,
frenzied with the idea of an insult passed upon my wretchedness and
poverty; at another, casuistically arguing myself into the belief that,
whatever the offence to others, to me there could be none intended.
But why revive the memory of a conflict which impressed me with all the
ignominy of my station, and made me feel myself, as it were, selected
for an affront that could not with impunity have been practised towards
another?

I decided not to go, and then just as firmly determined I would
present myself. My last resolve was to keep my promise, to attend the
dinner-party; to accept, as it were in the fullest sense, the equality
tendered to me; and, if I could detect the smallest insult, or even a
liberty taken with me, to claim my right to resent it, by virtue of
the act which admitted me to their society, and made me for the
time then-companion. I am not quite sure that such conduct was very
justifiable. I half suspect that the easier and the better course
would have been to avoid a situation in which there was nothing to be
anticipated but annoyance or difficulty.

My mind once made up, I hastened to prepare for the event, by
immediately ordering a handsome dress-suit. Careful