Now, Mr. Bragg had an entire consciousness that he had never seen any society that deserved the name before this very night, but he was supported in giving his opinions by that secret sense of his qualifications to fill any station, which formed so conspicuous a trait in his character, and his answer was given with an _àplomb_ that would have added weight to the opinion of the veriest _élégant_ of the _Chaussée d'Antin._ "It is indeed a good deal unsophisticated," he said, "and so simple that any body can understand it. I find but a single fault with this entertainment, which is, in all else, the perfection of elegance in my eyes, and that is, that there is too little room to swing the legs in dancing." "Indeed!--I did not expect that--is it not the best usage of Europe, now, to bring a quadrille into the very minimum of space?" "Quite the contrary, Miss. All good dancing requires evolutions. The dancing Dervishes, for instance would occupy quite as much space as both of these sets that are walking before us, and I believe it is now generally admitted that all good dancing needs room for the legs." "We necessarily get a little behind the fashions, in this distant country. Pray, sir, is it usual for ladies to walk alone in society?" "Woman was not made to move through life alone, Miss," returned Aristabulus with a sentimental glance of the eye, for he never let a good opportunity for preferment slip through his fingers, and, failing of Miss Effingham, or Miss Van Cortlandt, of whose estates and connections he had some pretty accurate notions, it struck him Miss Ring might, possibly, be a very eligible connection, as all was grist that came to his mill; "this I believe, is an admitted truth." "By life you mean matrimony, I suppose." "Yes, Miss, a man always means matrimony, when he speaks to a young lady." This rather disconcerted Miss Ring, who picked her nosegay, for she was not accustomed to hear gentlemen talk to ladies of matrimony, but ladies to talk to gentlemen. Recovering her self-possession, however, she said with a promptitude that, did the school to which she belonged infinite credit,-- "You speak, sir, like one having experience." "Certainly, Miss; I have been in love ever since I was ten years old; I may say I was born in love, and hope to die in love." This a little out-Heroded Herod, but the _belle_ was not a person to be easily daunted on such a subject. She smiled graciously, therefore, and continued the conversation with renewed spirit. "You travelled gentleman get odd notions," she said, "and more particularly on such subjects. I always feel afraid to discuss them with foreigners, though with my own countrymen I have few reserves. Pray, Mr. Truck, are you satisfied with America?--Do you find it the country you expected to see?"