The lucky man paused, while the chorus breathlessly broke in with: “Did you make haste?” “Gentlemen, man is a contemptible creature in his treatment of woman; she is infinitely his superior in every good quality, and he absolutely takes advantage of his baser capacities to betray her superior nature. He matches his cunning against her truthfulness, his selfishness against her disinterestedness, his deceitfulness against her affection. Woman’s nobleness of heart is a provision of nature to prevent the degeneration of our species; were women as bad as men, our children would be brutes or idiots. Traits of mind and heart are transmitted--” CHORUS--“Never mind all that, did you make haste?” “Gentlemen, with those feelings, I could not long remain in that room; it was time to make haste; and mumbling some excuse, I escaped before a noise, that seemed to be ascending the stairs, approached. My friend wondered at the time I had been away, abused me for allowing the light to go out, but was easily convinced that the time had been lengthened by his dreams. Virtue is its own reward, and, gentlemen, I never shall regret that night.” CHORUS--“But you have not said a word of the duck-shooting.” “Well, to tell the truth, I heard next day that Oscar was inquiring for me, and concluded that the shooting would be better elsewhere.” The shout of laughter that succeeded this answer died away, and the unlucky man was called upon for his adventure. UNLUCKY MAN.--“Gentlemen, I can give you no such entertaining history as my friend. In all my life, I never saw a woman unless she was fully dressed and prepared for it--much as I would like to--for I am not endowed with one half of his virtuous sentiments. But my adventure also occurred on Long Island, whither I had gone to learn trout-fishing. I had a new rod of Conroy’s best and most expensive pattern, a book full of flies, a basket, a bait-box, a net, a gaff, and all things appurtenant, and was especially proud of my fishing suit, which a brother of the angle had kindly selected for me. My boots came above my knees, and were of yellow Russian leather, with which my brown pants matched admirably, while a blue vest, a white flannel coat, red neck-tie and crimson cap, combined all the colors that were least likely to alarm the fish. “The other anglers collected at the hotel kindly aided me with their advice, for which I was truly grateful. They rigged out my leader with flies, and convincingly proving that the more flies used the more fish must be taken, fastened on thirteen. Conroy had hardly served me fairly in selecting my assortment, for they were pronounced by all not to be half large or bright enough. It was clear that the larger the fly the easier the fish could see it, and the more surely it would catch; so they loaned me a number, principally yellow, green, and blue, which was the more generous of them, as they had but few of the same sort themselves.