The Compleat Bachelor

e and difficult to say. Their jewellery was unexceptionable, and barely ostentatious; their manners passed the presentation standard, if falling a litt

a passing bow to custom, and which suggested the possibility of her having learned th

bsons, Rol?" Carrie had said

them to my relatives than

that they were disposed to make much of me. Carrie noticed the same th

Rol, and it's my opinion she

blame Mrs. Gibson. She can see virtue where others see but

Caroline, and proceeded to enlighten m

means, which was not her fault. Indeed, I feel almost apologetically responsible myself, seeing the l

y, and would talk Ibsen to you with her face in profile. She displayed an obtrusive girlhood that was not al

red also, and I was greatly gratified at the concern with which they watched me. I decided to give them all the entertainment they desired. They tal

estive of the dotted line of a wheel-pen. I heard Carrie whisper to Mrs. Loring something about "St. Vit

of English maidenhood as one advances in life. Th

was a good deal in the unsophisticated rosebud, b

a while longer in the regions to which it had been raised. I rose and crossed over to her. She was unt

, Mr. Butterfield; I sha

ross at Mrs. Loring's disapproving face. Miss Gibson sat down and made room for me beside

Butterfield?" inquired the uns

than I had looked for;

ountry for a little fishing shortly,"

not, Mr. Butterfield?" she inqui

f nothing more exciting than the suspense of the first nibble. The angler, m

l shoe that protruded from the lacy hem of her skirts. I followed her g

aying your victim commences. There is a wide difference between hooking your fish

f the ribbon

ave all your trouble for nothi

e of your fish. Often enough you have chosen the wrong fly, or your line

dropping her fan. I nibbled

y a middle-aged trout as a boy does a minnow. Believe me, Miss

esumed my seat near her. She placed the mandolin on the other side, adjusted her gown, and diminished the d

quit Miss Gibs

"is by what is called 'tickling'; but then your fish mu

ying me with her eyes, "fishing must be very cruel?

joy it, Miss Gibson; particularly what i

e subject as so much natural history, and was interested in them only as such. She glanced at the mand

u expect to be away

g, intercepted them, and dammed the stream adroitly. Carrie was placed at the piano, and the

. "Until my friends yearn fo

se elementary, and

u at all," she replied, with a soft sparkl

eir desire for my presence with most generou

rfield, how ca

e, if not "quite nice." It was unfair; but I am of no stronger fibre than my fellow-men. As I leaned

orry to lose me

itated, her eyes cast down. She had not falle

nt. Carrie crowded the last few bars of music into an accelerando that would

me, considering the real state of her feelings, "do please play again. Rollo

leave without," impl

mpliance, and Miss Gibson t

er me, one on each side, but didn't speak. It was no

Mrs. Loring icily, "I'm

r Mrs. Loring?"

se to that-tha

e of more general indulgence but for the risk of acceptance. It is

you know that those people are doing all they can

or it, and she

you yourself would empty half the bachelors' clubs in London. I forget precisely the number of years it is since you first en

is different,"

as different, but I h

. I am surprised that you should not recognise your own pos

sane," she returned. "If you can't see the diffe

Mrs. Loring Chatterton was in a bad temper, and e

hing to say?" I asked, in

against my shoulder, and pulled

nxiously, "what were you and

k her

a few observations on the trout, his

oring struck in crossly, "that

ing scor