“Nothing fast, my Lord, except, perhaps, your friends the Onslows.” “Yes; they 're going it, I hear. Is n't there a rich niece, or cousin, or something of that sort, with them?” “They've got a prettyish girl, called Dalton; but as to her being rich, I think it very unlikely, seeing that her family are living in Germany in a state of the very closest poverty.” “And Master George, how does he carry on the war?” said the Viscount, who seemed quite heedless of the other's correction. “He plays a little peddling ecarte now and then; but you can see that he has burned his fingers, and dreads the fire. They say he 's in love with the Dalton girl.” “Of course he is, if they live in the same house; and he 's just the kind of fool to marry her, too. Who 's that little fellow, listening to us?” “Purvis, my Lord; don't you remember him? He's one of the Ricketts's set.” “To be sure I do. How are you, Purvis? You look so young and so fresh, I could not persuade myself it could be my old acquaintance.” “I 've taken to homoe-homoe-homoe-homo--” Here he opened his mouth wide, and gasped till he grew black in the face. “What's the word? Give it him, Haggy. It's all up with him,” said the Viscount. “Homoeopathy, eh?” “Just so. Homeo-hom--” “Confound it, man, can't you be satisfied? when you're once over the fence, you need n't go back to leap it. And how is the dear what's her name Agathe? no, Zoe, how is she?” “Quite well, my Lord, and would be cha-cha-cha-rmed to see you.” “Living in that queer humbug still, eh?” “In the Vill-ino, my Lord, you mean?” “Egad! she seems the only thing left; like the dog on the wreck, eh, Haggy?” “Just so, my Lord,” said the other, with a complacent laugh. “What a mass of old crockery she must have got together by this time!” said the Viscount, yawning with a terrible recollection of her tiresomeness. “You came out with a yacht, my Lord?” asked Haggerstone. “Pretty well, for a man that they call ru-ru-ruined,” said Purvis, laughing. Norwood turned a look of angry indignation at him, and then, as if seeing the unworthiness of the object, merely said, “A yacht is the only real economy nowadays. You get rid at once of all trains of servants, household, stable people; even the bores of your acquaintance you cut off. By-by, Purvis.” And, with a significant wink at Haggerstone, he passed across the street, in time to overtake Onslow, who was just passing. “I think I ga-ga-gave it him there,” cried Purvis, with an hysteric giggle of delight; who, provided that he was permitted to fire his shot, never cared how severely he was himself riddled by the enemy's fire. Meanwhile, the Viscount and his friend were hastening forward to the Mazzarini Palace, as totally forgetful of Purvis as though that valuable individual had never existed.