ascribe to his own individuality, he added with some pique:

"But they do say that this same Scarlet Pimpernel is mightily ill-
favoured, and that's why no one ever sees him. They say he is fit to
scare the crows away and that no Frenchy can look twice at his face,
for it's so ugly, and so they let him get out of the country, rather than
look at him again."

"Then they do say a mighty lot of nonsense," retorted Mistress Polly,
with a shrug of her pretty shoulders, "and if that be so, then why
don't you go over to France and join hands with the Scarlet
Pimpernel? I'll warrant no Frenchman'll want to look twice at your
face."

A chorus of laughter greeted this sally, for the two young people had
in the meanwhile been joined by several of their friends, and now
formed part of a merry group near the band, some sitting, others
standing, but all bent on seeing as much as there was to see in
Richmond Gala this day. There was Johnny Cullen, the grocer's
apprentice from Twickenham, and Ursula Quekett, the baker's
daughter, and several "young 'uns" from the neighbourhood, as well
as some older folk.

And all of them enjoyed a joke when they heard one and thought
Mistress Polly's retort mightily smart. But then Mistress Polly was
possessed of two hundred pounds, all her own, left to her by her
grandmother, and on the strength of this extensive fortune had
acquired a reputation for beauty and wit not easily accorded to a
wench that had been penniless.