Captain whom you introduced, like an ass as you were--"

"An ass, Mr. Woolsey! I'd have you to know, sir, that I'm no more a
hass than you are, sir; and as for introducing the Captain, I did no
such thing."

"Well, well, he's got a-poaching into our preserves somehow. He's
evidently sweet upon the young woman, and is a more fashionable chap
than either of us two. We must get him out of the house, sir--we
must circumwent him; and THEN, Mr. Eglantine, will be time enough
for you and me to try which is the best man."

"HE the best man?" thought Eglantine; "the little bald unsightly
tailor-creature! A man with no more soul than his smoothing-hiron!"
The perfumer, as may be imagined, did not utter this sentiment
aloud, but expressed himself quite willing to enter into any
HAMICABLE arrangement by which the new candidate for Miss Crump's
favour must be thrown over. It was accordingly agreed between the
two gentlemen that they should coalesce against the common enemy;
that they should, by reciting many perfectly well-founded stories in
the Captain's disfavour, influence the minds of Miss Crump's
parents, and of herself, if possible, against this wolf in sheep's
clothing; and that, when they were once fairly rid of him, each
should be at liberty, as before, to prefer his own claim.

"I have thought of a subject," said the little tailor, turning very
red, and hemming and hawing a great deal. "I've thought, I say, of
a pint, which may be resorted to with advantage at the present
juncture, and in which each of us may be useful to the other. An
exchange, Mr. Eglantine: do you take?"