To-morrow he would begin to climb the mountains around St.Gian; if he danced attendance on her dangerous Ladyship again, Mrs.Jerry should be there also, and he would walk circumspectly between them, like a man with gyves upon his wrists.

He was in the midst of all the details of these reforms, when suddenly he looked at himself thus occupied, and laughed bitterly; he had so often come upon Tommy making grand resolves! He stopped operations and sat down beside them.

No one could have wished more heartily to be anybody else, or have had less hope.

He had not even the excuse of being passionately drawn to this woman; he remembered that she had never interested him until he heard of her effect upon other men.

Her reputation as a duellist, whose defence none of his sex could pass, had led to his wondering what they saw in her, and he had dressed himself in their sentiments and so approached her.