tion Fledgeby, with the meanest
of twinkles in his meanest of eyes: which were too near together, by
the way: 'look here, Lammle; I am very well aware that I didn't show to
advantage last night, and that you and your wife--who, I consider, is
a very clever woman and an agreeable woman--did. I am not calculated to
show to advantage under that sort of circumstances. I know very well you
two did show to advantage, and managed capitally. But don't you on that
account come talking to me as if I was your doll and puppet, because I
am not.

'And all this,' cried Alfred, after studying with a look the meanness
that was fain to have the meanest help, and yet was so mean as to turn
upon it: 'all this because of one simple natural question!'

'You should have waited till I thought proper to say something about it
of myself. I don't like your coming over me with your Georgianas, as if
you was her proprietor and mine too.'

'Well, when you are in the gracious mind to say anything about it of
yourself,' retorted Lammle, 'pray do.'

'I have done it. I have said you managed capitally. You and your wife
both. If you'll go on managing capitally, I'll go on doing my part. Only
don't crow.'

'I crow!' exclaimed Lammle, shrugging his shoulders.

'Or,' pursued the other--'or take it in your head that people are your
puppets because they don't come out to advantage at the particular
moments when you do, with the assistance of a very clever and agreeable
wife. All the rest keep on doing, and let Mrs Lammle keep on doing. Now,
I have held my tongue when I thought proper, and I have spoken when I
thought proper, and there's an end of that. And now the question is,'
proceeded Fledgeby, with the greatest reluctance, 'will you have another
egg?'

'No, I won't,' said Lammle, shortly.

'Perhaps you're right and will find yourself better without it,' replied
Fascination, in greatly improved spirits. 'To ask you if you'll have
another rasher would be unmeaning flattery, for it would make you
thirsty all day. Will you have some more bread and butter?'

'No, I won't,' repeated Lammle.

'Then I will,' said Fascination. And it was not a mere retort for the
sound's sake, but was a cheerful cogent consequence of the refusal; for
if Lammle had applied himself again to the loaf, it would have been so
heavily visited, in Fledgeby's opinion, as to demand abstinence from
bread, on his part, for the remainder of that meal at least, if not for
the whol