After a time, too, he found himself a father; and, though I don't doubt his little infant girl brought him compensations, he grew visibly older. His once courageous complexion, which I have described as carrot-tinted, lapsed slowly toward the hue of turnips when in a boiled state; and--melancholy change!--his dainty martial chin, with the dent in the bottom of it, was hidden by a practical red beard, while his hair became proportionately thin on top of his head. If Mrs. Magill cared for revenge she probably took it now, in the contemplation of his hard career and the alterations in his appearance. He felt this a little, I know; for, as we were walking together one day near Worth's monument, he suddenly changed our course, with a hasty, "May as well go this way;" and I perceived the wealthy widow coming toward us. We were not quick enough to escape her, and Barrington winced at her expression. Yet I am equally certain that he never regretted his choice. Luckily for Rawsden's slight remaining toleration of mankind, he left Mrs. Douce's before the baby was added to the other household ornaments. Now that I think of it, Miss Sneef had previously left the house, and Rawsden's critical mood grew upon him so rapidly that he, too, found a change necessary. In fact, he followed Miss Sneef. Yet he continued to bestow a share of his amused contempt upon Mr. and Mrs. Barrington from a distance. "Barrington got a taste for the drama that time," he once said to me, recalling the private theatricals, "and he keeps it up well. I think his piece will have a long run." "What piece?" "_The Ex-Bachelor and his Baby!_" said the little wretch. "A tragic-comedy--by the whole strength of the company." I think I should have kicked Rawsden for this, but that something in his manner hinted an inconsistent envy of the major. And he presently went on to say that as for Miss Sneef and himself, although not believing at all in the necessity of sentiment and all that sort of thing, they had concluded--since they didn't seem to be able as yet to get tired of each other--that they would try marriage, and see what that would do for them. Such was the distorted little tribute of this _nil admirari_ youth to the element of real manliness he could not fail to see in Barrington's marriage. "BAD PEPPERS." I. "You see, I want to strike down to Bad Peppers." These words were pronounced by the third person at my right on the bench. The bench, it must be explained, was covered with red velvet, and situated in the cabin of a steamer. And the steamer was the _Weser_, bound for Bremen.