"Well," continued the gentleman with the cane, "I have no
opinion of him. I gave Charles Egremont the odds against
Mango this morning; he goes with us, you know. By the bye,
who is our fourth?"

"I thought of Milford," was the reply in an under tone. "What
say you?"

"Milford is going with St James and Punch Hughes."

"Well, let us come into supper, and we shall see some fellow
we like."

So saying, the companions, taking their course through more
than one chamber, entered an apartment of less dimensions than
the principal saloon, but not less sumptuous in its general
appearance. The gleaming lustres poured a flood of soft yet
brilliant light over a plateau glittering with gold plate, and
fragrant with exotics embedded in vases of rare porcelain.
The seats on each side of the table were occupied by persons
consuming, with a heedless air, delicacies for which they had
no appetite; while the conversation in general consisted of
flying phrases referring to the impending event of the great
day that had already dawned.

"Come from Lady St Julian's, Fitz?" said a youth of very
tender years, and whose fair visage was as downy and as
blooming as the peach from which with a languid air he
withdrew his lips to make this inquiry of the gentleman with