"La!" replied the voice, "how gallant you are, Mr. Jinks!"

"No, Madam!" said Mr. Jinks, "I am not gallant!"

"You?"

"Far from it, Madam--I am a bear, a savage, with all the rest of the
female sex; but with you--you--hem! that is different!"

("Don't go, Redbud!--"

"But, Verty--"

"Just a minute, Redbud.")

"Yes, a savage; I hate the sex--I distrust them!" continued Mr. Jinks,
in a gloomy tone; "before seeing you, I had made up my mind to retire
forever from the sight of mankind, and live on roots, or something of
that description. But you have changed me--you have made me human."

And Mr. Jinks, to judge from his tone of voice, was looking dignified.

The fair lady uttered a little laugh.

"There it is!" cried Mr. Jinks, "you are always happy--always smiling
and seducing--you are the paragon of your sex. If it will be any
satisfaction to you, Madam, I will immediately die for you, and give
up the ghost."

Which Mr. Jinks seemed to consider wholly different from the former.