Colambre seemed
willing, or able, to break.

Very good company, faith, you three!--One of ye asleep, and the other
two saying nothing, to keep one awake. Colambre, have you no Dublin
news? Grace, have you no Buxton scandal? What was it Lady Clonbrony told
us you'd tell us, about the oddness of Miss Broadhurst's settling her
marriage? Tell me that, for I love to hear odd things.'

'Perhaps you will not think it odd,' said she. 'One evening--but I
should begin by telling you that three of her admirers, beside Sir
Arthur Berryl, had followed her to Buxton, and had been paying their
court to her all the time we were there; and at last grew impatient for
her decision.'

'Ay, for her definitive!' said Lord Clonbrony. Miss Nugent was put out
again, but resumed--

'So one evening, just before the dancing began, the gentlemen were
all standing round Miss Broadhurst; one of them said, "I wish Miss
Broadhurst would decide--that whoever she dances with to-night should be
her partner for life; what a happy man he would be!"

'"But how can I decide?" said Miss Broadhurst.

'"I wish I had a friend to plead for me!" said one of the suitors,
looking at me.

'"Have you no friend of your own?" said Miss Broadhurst.

'"Plenty of friends," said the gentleman.

'"Plenty!--then you must be a very happy man," replied Miss Broadhurst.
"Come," said she, laughing, "I will dance with that man who can convince
me--that he has, near relations excepted, one true friend in the world!
That man who has made the best friend, I dare say, will make the best
husband!"

'At that moment,' continued Miss Nugent, 'I was certain who would be her
choice. The gentlemen all declared at first that they had abundance
of excellent friends the best friends in the world! but when Miss
Broadhurst cross-examined them, as to what their friends had done for
them, or what they were willing to do, modern friendship dwindled into
a ridiculously small compass. I cannot give you the particulars of the
cross-examination, though it was conducted with great spirit and humour
by Miss Broadhurst; but I can tell you the result--that Sir Arthur
Berryl, by incontrovertible facts, and eloquence warm from the heart,
convinced everybody present that he had the best friend in the world;
and Miss Broadhurst, as he finished speaking, gave him her hand, and he
led her off in triumph--So you see, Lord Colambre, you were at last the
cause of my friend's marriage!'

She turned to L