and taught at last through soreness
to reflect.--A Journal?--with Colney Durance for Editor?--and
called conformably THE WHIPPING-TOP? Why not, if it exactly hits the
signification of the Journal and that which it would have the country do
to itself, to keep it going and truly topping? For there is no vulgarity
in a title strongly signifying the intent. Victor wrote it at night,
naming Colney for Editor, with a sum of his money to be devoted to the
publication, in a form of memorandum; and threw it among the papers in
his desk.

Young Dudley had a funny inquisitiveness about Dartrey Fenellan; owing
to Fredi's reproduction or imitation of her mother's romantic sentiment
for Dartrey, doubtless: a bit of jealousy, indicating that the dry
fellow had his feelings. Victor touched--off an outline of Dartrey's
history and character:--the half-brother of Simeon, considerably
younger, and totally different. 'Dartrey's mother was Lady Charlotte
Kiltorne, one of the Clanconans; better mother than wife, perhaps; and
no reproach on her, not a shadow; only she made the General's Bank-notes
fly black paper. And--if you 're for heredity--the queer point is,
that Simeon, whose mother was a sober-minded woman, has always been the
spendthrift. Dartrey married one of the Hennen women, all an odd lot,
all handsome. I met her once. Colney said, she came up here with a
special commission from the Prince of Darkness. There are women who stir
the unholy in men--whether they mean it or not, you know.'

Dudley pursed to remark, that he could not say he did know. And good for
Fredi if he did not know, and had his objections to the knowledge! But
he was like the men who escape colds by wrapping in comforters instead
of trusting to the spin of the blood.

'She played poor Dartrey pranks before he buried--he, behaved well to
her; and that says much for him; he has: a devil of a temper. I 've seen
the blood in his veins, mount to cracking. But there's the man: because
she was a woman, he never let it break out with her. And, by heaven,
he had cause. She couldn't be left. She tricked him, and she loved
him-passionately, I believe. You don't understand women loving the
husband they drag through the mire?'

Dudley did not. He sharpened his mouth.

'Buried, you said, sir?--a widower?'

'I've no positive information; we shall hear when he: comes back,'
Victor replied hurriedly. 'He got a drenching of all the damns in the
British service from his. Gen