That she was pretty he could see; that she was clever he could understand; that she lived in Mount Street was a fact; her parentage was known to him;--that she was the undoubted mistress of a large income was beyond dispute.

But, for aught he knew, she might be afflicted by every vice to which a woman can be subject.

In truth, she was afflicted by so many, that the addition of all the others could hardly have made her worse than she was.

She had never sacrificed her beauty to a lover,--she had never sacrificed anything to anybody,--nor did she drink.

It would be difficult, perhaps, to say anything else in her favour; and yet Lord Fawn was quite content to marry her, not having seen any reason why she should not make a good wife! Nor had Sir Florian seen any reason;--but she had broken Sir Florian's heart.
When the girls heard the news, they were half frightened and half delighted.