Compare the figure in that frame with Mrs.Edward Crimsworth--which is the finer animal ?" I replied quietly: "Compare yourself and Mr.Edward Crimsworth, Mr Hunsden." "Oh, Crimsworth is better filled up than I am, I know besides he has a straight nose, arched eyebrows, and all that; but these advantages--if they are advantages--he did not inherit from his mother, the patrician, but from his father, old Crimsworth, who, MY father says, was as veritable a -- --shire blue-dyer as ever put indigo in a vat yet withal the handsomest man in the three Ridings.

It is you, William, who are the aristocrat of your family, and you are not as fine a fellow as your plebeian brother by long chalk." There was something in Mr.Hunsden's point-blank mode of speech which rather pleased me than otherwise because it set me at my ease.

I continued the conversation with a degree of interest.
"How do you happen to know that I am Mr.Crimsworth's brother?
I thought you and everybody else looked upon me only in the light of a poor clerk." "Well, and so we do; and what are you but a poor clerk?
You do Crimsworth's work, and he gives you wages--shabby wages they are, too." I was silent.

Hunsden's language now bordered on the impertinent, still his manner did not offend me in the least--it only piqued my curiosity; I wanted him to go on, which he did in a little while.
"This world is an absurd one," said he.
"Why so, Mr.Hunsden ?" "I wonder you should ask: you are yourself a strong proof of the absurdity I allude to." I was determined he should explain himself of his own accord, without my pressing him so to do--so I resumed my silence.
"Is it your intention to become a tradesman ?" he inquired presently.
"It was my serious intention three months ago." "Humph! the more fool you--you look like a tradesman! What a practical business-like face you have!" "My face is as the Lord made it, Mr.Hunsden." "The Lord never made either your face or head for X---- What good can your bumps of ideality, comparison, self-esteem, conscientiousness, do you here?
But if you like Bigben Close, stay there; it's your own affair, not mine." "Perhaps I have no choice." "Well, I care nought about it--it will make little difference to me what you do or where you go; but I'm cool now--I want to dance again; and I see such a fine girl sitting in the corner of the sofa there by her mamma; see if I don't get her for a partner in a jiffy! There's Waddy--Sam Waddy making up to her; won't I cut him out ?" And Mr.Hunsden strode away.

I watched him through the open folding-doors; he outstripped Waddy, applied for the hand of the fine girl, and led her off triumphant.