“I remember him when he and his brother were at Eton together--nice boys--capital boys, both of them--but I liked Jack Hulbert better than Lostwithiel. He was franker, more spontaneous and impulsive. Yes, Jack was my favourite, and everybody else’s favourite, I think, when the two were boys. I saw very little of them after they grew up. I was away with my regiment, and Jack was away with his ship, and Lostwithiel was wandering up and down the earth, like Satan. I left a card for Captain Hulbert at the club, asking him to dinner this evening. You don’t mind, do you, Isola?” Isola had no objection to offer, and Allegra was delighted at the prospect of seeing more of the man with the nice frank countenance, and that seafaring air which most women like. “I am a dreadful person for being influenced by first impressions,” she said, “and that one glance at Captain Hulbert in the moonlight assures me that I shall like him.” “Don’t like him too well,” said Martin, laughingly, “for I’m afraid he’s a detrimental, and would make even a worse match than Colfox, who may be a bishop one day, while Hulbert has left the navy, and is never likely to be anything.” “Match! detrimental!” cried Allegra, indignantly. “Can it be my brother who talks in such a vulgar strain? As if a woman could not look at a man without thinking of marrying him!” “Some women can’t,” answered Martin. “With them every free man is a possible husband--indeed, I believe there are some who cannot look at a married man without estimating the chances of the divorce court--if the man is what they call a catch.” “That is your Indian experience!” exclaimed Allegra, scornfully. “I have heard that India is a sink of iniquity.”