"He has the kindest heart in the world," Mr. Hayward replies, warmly, "and he would never do a shabby thing. One of the few men who really practice not letting their left hand know the good their right does. He certainly is a looseish fish; but he does not parade his irregularities before the world--the world need not know anything about them if it does not insist on prying into his affairs. The greatest grudge women have against him is that he is mortally opposed to marriage, and carries on a crusade against it as though he were St. George, and matrimony the Dragon. He says if you want to make two people hate each other who would otherwise be disposed to love--" "Hush! my dear Hamilton," cries Miss Susan, horrified. "Pray spare us a repetition of Mr. Vansittart's iniquitous opinions." "I suppose," laughs Virginia, "that women don't insist on marrying him by force, do they?" "A great many would be very glad to have him," rejoins Mr. Hamilton, "he is a tremendously taking fellow." "And have you _really_ asked him to dinner?" interposes Miss Susan. "I have, indeed, my dear, and I had a good deal of difficulty in persuading him to come. He persisted that he went so little into society--into _ladies_' society." Miss Susan gave a little snort. "He has no right to go into it at all with the views he holds; and, pray, whom is he to take in to dinner?" "Mrs. Ashton, I thought," answers Mr. Hamilton. "I am afraid he would be bored with an unmarried lady." "When I was young," says Miss Susan, bridling, "married women were as modest and particular in their conversation as unmarried ones." "Ah!" observes her brother dryly. "Uncle," cries Virginia, "let him take me. If he is original, I shall be sure to like him; and as I don't intend to marry, he need not be afraid of my having designs on him. I shall give him a hint whilst he is eating his soup that I have made a vow to _coiffer Ste. Catherine_." "Virginia!" remonstrates Miss Susan; "and you know Sir Harry Hotspur is to take you." "No, no," cries Virginia, "he bores me to distraction. Besides," laughing, "he 'goes for married women.' Let him have Mrs. Ashton, and give me Mr. Vansittart."