of the garden, or that Grand Mogul feminine, Lady Selina,
whose condescension would crush the Andes, will be stopping her as my
_protege_, falling in raptures with that horrid coloured print, saying,
'Dear, what pretty sprigs! where can such things be got?' and learning
perhaps how Frank Vance saved the Bandit's Child from the Remorseless
Baron. 'T is your turn now. Save your friend. The Baron was a lamb
compared to a fine lady." He pressed Lionel's unresponding hand, and was
off to join the polite merrymaking of the Frosts, Slowes, and Prymmes.

Lionel's pride ran up to the fever-heat of its thermometer; more roused,
though, on behalf of the unconscious Sophy than himself.

"Let us come into the town, lady-bird, and choose a doll. You may have
one now, without fear of distracting you from what I hate to think you
ever stooped to perform."

As Lionel, his crest erect and nostril dilated, and holding Sophy firmly
by the hand, took his way out from the gardens, he was obliged to pass
the patrician party, of whom Vance now made one.

His countenance and air, as he swept by, struck them all, especially
Lady Selina. "A very distinguished-looking boy," said she. "What a fine
face! Who did you say he was, Mr. Vance?"

VANCE.--"His name is Haughton,--Lionel Haughton."

LADY SELINA.--"Haughton! Haughton! Any relation to poor dear Captain
Haughton,--Charlie Haughton, as he was generally called?"

Vance, knowing little more of his young friend's parentage than that his
mother let lodgings, at which, once domiciliated himself, he had made
the boy's acquaintance, and that she enjoyed the pension of a captain's
widow, replied carelessly,--

"His father was a captain, but I don't know whether he was a Charlie."

MR. CRAMPE (the wit).--"Charlies are extinct! I have the last in a
fossil,--box and all."

General laugh. Wit shut up again.

LADY SELINA.--"He has a great look of Charlie Haughton. Do you know if
he is connected with that extraordinary man, Mr. Darrell?"

VANCE.--"Upon my word, I do not. What Mr. Darrell do you mean?"

Lady Selina, with one of those sublime looks of celestial pity with
which personages in the great world forgive ignorance of names and
genealogies in those not born within its orbit, replied, "Oh, to be
sure. It is not exactly in the way of your delightful art to know Mr.
Darrell, one of the first men in Parliament, a connection of mine."

LADY FROST (nippingly).--"You mean Guy Darrell, the lawy