great ladies, and occasionally the meetings of the Flybynights Club. To the latter he always came in a special suit of clothes on account of the impregnation of tobacco-smoke; and when coming thither he left his carriage and his address, in case he was required, at the Minerva, with orders to fetch him at once. It would never have done for some of his patients to know that he was a member of the Flybynights. Such was Dr. Prater, who touched Beresford on the arm and said, "Not again, my dear sir! I will not be balked of the opportunity of saying, 'how d'ye do?' to you again." "Ah, doctor," said Beresford with that apparent frankness and _bonhomie_ to which he owed so much of his popularity, "delighted to see you! But what do you mean 'balked of the opportunity'? Where was that?" "A few weeks since, just before I left town;--I've been away, and Dr. Seaton has kindly attended to my practice;--we met at the house of our charming friend Mrs. Schröder; but I could not catch your eye. You were too well engaged; there was, as somebody--I don't know who, but somebody that every one knows--has said, there was metal more attractive. Ha! ha! A charming woman, Mrs. Schröder! a very charming woman!" "Very charming," echoed Mr. Beresford shortly, not particularly caring about finding himself thoroughly focussed by the doctor's sharpest glances concentrated through his spectacles. "By the way, don't you know our secretary, Mr. Simnel, Dr. Prater?" The gentlemen bowed. "I have the pleasure of being well acquainted with Mr. Simnel by name, and of being at the present moment engaged in a correspondence with him in reference to a certificate which I have given. And, by the way, my dear sir," turning to Simnel, "you really must give young Pierrepoint his six weeks. You must indeed!" "If it rested with me, doctor, I'd give him unlimited leave; confer on him the order of the 'sack,'" said Simnel, bluntly--"an idle stuck-up young hound!" "Harsh words, my dear sir; harsh words! However, I will leave our young friend's case with you and Mr. Beresford; I am sure it could not be in better hands. You were not in Saxe-Coburg Square the other night, I think? De-lightful party!" "No," said Simnel, "I'm not a great evening-party man myself; it's only your butterflies of fashion, like our friend here, who enjoy those light and airy gaieties. My pleasures are of a more substantial kind. By the way, doctor, how's Kitty Vavasour's cough?" The doctor's eyes twinkled as he replied, "Oh, much better--very much better. Horrible draught down that first entrance, my dear sir, as she perhaps told--I mean, as you probably know. Dreadful draught! enough to kill half the _coryphées_ in London. I've spoken to Grabb about it, but he won't do any thing; and when I hinted at the drapery, asked me if I thought he was going to let his ballet-girls dance in bathing-gowns. Very rude man, Grabb."