yself exchanging greetings with a large,
well-built, black-whiskered and moustached man of about forty. He was
dressed in deep mourning, and looked in his manner and air very much the
gentleman.

'Have you got up the party yet, Crotty?' said he, after our first
salutations were over, and with a half-glance towards me.

'No, indeed,' said Crotty slowly; 'the fact is, I wasn't thinking of it.
There's a poor young fellow yonder losing very heavily, and I wanted to
see if you knew him; it would be only fair to----'

'So it would; where is he?' interrupted the baronet, as he pushed
through the crowd towards the play-room.

'I told you he was a trump,' said Crotty, as we followed him--'the
fellow to do a good-natured thing at any moment.

While we endeavoured to get through after him, we passed close beside a
small supper-table, where sat the alderman and his two pretty daughters,
the Honourable Jack between them. It was evident from his boisterous
gaiety that he had triumphed over all his fears of detection by any of
the numerous fair ones he spoke of--his great object at this instant
appearing to be the desire to attract every one's attention towards him,
and to publish his triumph to all beholders. For this, Jack conversed in
a voice audible at some distance off, surveying his victims from time
to time with the look of the Great Mogul; while they, poor girls, only
imagined themselves regarded for their own attractions, which were very
considerable, and believed that the companionship of the distinguished
Jack was the envy of every woman about them. As for the father, he was
deep in the mysteries of a _vol-au-vent_, and perfectly indifferent
to such insignificant trifles as Jack's blandishments and the ladies'
blushes.

Poor girls! no persuasion in life could have induced them to such an
exhibition in their own country, and in company with one their equal
in class. But the fact of its being Germany, and the escort being an
Honourable, made all the difference in the world; and they who would
have hesitated with maiden coyness at the honourable proposals of one
of their own class, felt no scruple at compromising themselves before
hundreds, to indulge the miserable vanity of a contemptible coxcomb. I
stood for a second or two beside the table, and thought within myself,
'Is not this as much a case to call for the interference of friendly
caution as that of the gambler yonder?' But then, how was it possible?

We passed