ugh he spoke in an airy,
matter-of-fact tone, qualms were beginning to shake his bosom as he
pictured himself thus launched alone on the tide of London society.

He began to count the days which yet remained to him of happy obscurity;
and as Time moves with inexorable footsteps, no matter how earnestly we
would hurry or delay him, so at length there remained but a week's
slender barrier between Everett and the fatal date. For while he would
not acknowledge it even yet to himself, all sense of pleasurable
anticipation had gradually given place to the most unmitigated condition
of fright.

Thus when he awoke on the actual Monday morning preceding the party, he
could not at first imagine to what cause he owed the burden of
oppression which immediately descended on his breast; just so used he to
feel as a boy when awaking to the consciousness of an impending visit to
the dentist. Then all at once he remembered that in four days more
Thursday night would have come, and his fate would be sealed.

He carried a sinking spirit to his legal studies all that day and the
next, and yet was somewhat cheered on returning home on the Tuesday
evening to find a parcel awaiting him from the tailor's. He experienced
real pleasure in putting on the new suit after dinner and going down to
exhibit himself to the girls in the drawing-room. It was delightful to
listen to their exclamations and their praise; to hear Lily declare,
"Oh, you do look nice, Ted! Splendacious! Doesn't it suit him well,
mammy?"

In that intoxicating moment, Everett felt he could hold his own in any
drawing-room in the land; nor could he help inwardly agreeing on
catching sight of himself in the chimney-glass that he did look
remarkably well in spite of a hairless lip and smooth young cheeks. He
mentally decided to get his hair cut, buy lavender gloves and Parma
violets, and casually inquire of Leslie, their "swell" man down at old
Braggart's, whether coloured silk socks were still considered "good
form."

But when he donned those dress clothes for the second time, on the
Thursday night itself, he didn't feel half so happy. He suffered from
"fright" pains in his inside, and his fingers shook so, he spoilt a
dozen cravats in the tying. He got Lily to fix him one at last, and it
was she who found him a neat little cardboard box for his flowers, that
his overcoat might not crush them. For, as the night was fine, and
shillings scarce with him in those days, he intende