old
flame, Mrs. Stonyhewer, is ready to die of love and a broken heart in
consequence."

"Just as true, my jewel, as that I shall be gazetted field-marshal; or
that you, Mr. Optimus, will be accused of faithfulness to Lady Emily.
Our young friend here, the rich commoner, has given currency to such
a variety of common reports, that the false jade grows bold enough to
beard us in our very teeth."

"Why, zounds! lieutenant," said Lionise, "how very sentimental you are
becoming."

"It's a way of mine, jewel, to appear singular in some sort of society."

~197~~"And satirical in all, I'll vouch for you, lieutenant;" said
Optimus.

"By Jasus, you've hit it! if truth be satire, it's a language I love,
although it's not very savoury to some palates."

"Will the duke marry the banker's widow, Joel that's the grand question
at Tattersall's, now your match with Maria's off, and Earl Rivers's
greyhounds are disposed of. Only give me the office, boy, in that
particular, and I'll give you a company to-morrow, if money will
purchase one; and realize a handsome fortune by betting on the event."

"Then I'll bet Cox and Greenwood's cash account against the
commander-in-chief's, that the widow marries a Beau-clerc, becomes in
due time Duchess of St. Alban's, and dies without issue, leaving her
immense property as a charitable bequest to enrich a poor dukedom; and
thus, having in earlier life degraded one part of the peerage, make
amends to the Butes, the Guildfords, and the Burdetts, by a last
redeeming act to another branch of the aristocracy."

"At it again, lieutenant; firing ricochet shot, and knocking down duck
and drake at the same time."

"Sure, that has been the great amusement of my life; in battle and
abroad I have contrived to knock down my share of the male enemies of my
country; in peace and at home I've a mighty pleasant knack of winging a
few female bush fighters."

"But the widow, my dear fellow, is now a woman of high {2} character;
has not the moral Marquis of Hertford undertaken to remove all ------and
disabilities? and did he not introduce the lady to the fashionable world
at his own hotel, the Piccadilly (peccadillo) Guildhall? Was not the
fete at Holly Grove attended by H.R.H. the Duke of York, and Mrs. C--y,
and all the virtuous portion of our nobility? and has she not since been
admitted to the parties at the Duke of "Query--did Mr. Optimus mean
_high_ as game is _high_?

~198~~Devonshire's, and what