"And of what borough or burgh or town or city is he the member and
representative?" asked Mr. Jeremiah Bossolton, putting another lump of
sugar into his negus. "I have heard, it is true, but my memory is
short; and, in the multitude and multifariousness of my professional
engagements, I am often led into a forgetfulness of matters less
important in their variety, and less--less various in their
importance."

"Why," answered Mrs. Merrylack, "somehow or other, I quite forget too;
but it is some distant borough. The gentleman wanted him to stand for
the county, but he would not hear of it; perhaps he did not like the
publicity of the thing, for he is mighty reserved."

"Proud, haughty, arrogant, and assumptious!" said Mr. Bossolton, with
a puff of unusual length.

"Nay, nay," said the daughter (young people are always the first to
defend), "I'm sure he's not proud: he does a mort of good, and has the
sweetest smile possible! I wonder if he'll marry again! He is very
young yet, not above two or three and thirty." (The kind damsel would
not have thought two or three and thirty very young some years ago;
but we grow wonderfully indulgent to the age of other people as we
grow older ourselves!)

"And what an eye he has!" said the landlady. "Well, for my part,--
but, bless me. Here, John, John, John, waiter, husband I mean,--
here's a carriage and four at the door. Lizzy, dear, is my cap
right?"