Mr. Abel Newt, sez I, wasting himself upon married women.
No, sez I, ma'am, when you women have made your market, sez I, you
oughter stan' one side and give the t'others a chance, sez I."

Mr. Van Boozenberg addressed this remark to Lawrence Newt. In the eyes
of the old gentleman it was another instance of imprudence on Abel's part
not to be already engaged to some rich girl.

Lawrence Newt replied by looking round the room as if searching for some
one, and then saying:

"I don't see your daughter, Mrs. Witchet, here to-night, Mr. Van
Boozenberg."

"No," growled the papa, and moved on to talk with Mrs. Dagon.

"My dear Sir," said the Honorable Budlong Dinks, approaching just as
Lawrence Newt finished his remark, and Van Boozenberg, growling,
departed:

"That was an unfortunate observation. You are, perhaps, not aware--"

"Oh! thank you, yes, I am fully aware," replied Lawrence Newt. "But one
thing I do not know."

The Honorable Budlong Dinks bowed with dignity as if he understood Mr.
Newt to compliment him by insinuating that he was the man who knew all
about it, and would immediately enlighten him.

"I do not know why, if a man does a mean and unfeeling, yes, an inhuman
act, it is bad manners to speak of it. Old Van Boozenberg ought to be
sent to the penitentiary for his treatment of his daughter, and we all
know it."

"Yes; but really," replied the Honorable Budlong Dinks, "really--you
know--it would be impossible. Mr. Van Boozenberg is a highly respectable
man--really--we should lapse into chaos," and the honorable gentleman
rubbed his hands with perfect suavity.

"When did we emerge?" asked Lawrence Newt, with such a kindly glimmer in
his eyes, that Mr. Dinks said merely, "really," and moved on, remarking
to General Arcularius Belch, with a diplomatic shrug, that Lawrence Newt
was a very odd man.

"Odd, but not without the coin. He can afford to be odd," replied that
gentleman.

While these little things were said and done, Lawrence moved through the
crowd and somehow found himself at the side of Amy Waring, who was
talking with Fanny Newt.

"You young Napoleon," said Lawrence to his niece as he joined them.

"What do you mean, you droll Uncle Lawrence?" demanded Fanny, her eyes
glittering with inquiry.

"Where's Mrs. Wurmser--I mean Mrs. Dinks?" continued Lawrence. "Why, when
I saw you talking together a little while ago, I could think of nothing
but the young Bonaparte and the old Wurmser."