To her he might be gentleness!

LORD BYRON.

In three weeks from the time of his arrival, Captain Clifford was the
most admired man in Bath. It is true the gentlemen, who have a quicker
tact as to the respectability of their own sex than women, might have
looked a little shy upon him, had he not himself especially shunned
appearing intrusive, and indeed rather avoided the society of men than
courted it; so that after he had fought a duel with a baronet (the son of
a shoemaker), who called him _one_ Clifford, and had exhibited a flea-
bitten horse, allowed to be the finest in Bath, he rose insensibly into a
certain degree of respect with the one sex as well as popularity with the
other. But what always attracted and kept alive suspicion, was his
intimacy with so peculiar and _dashing_ a gentleman as Mr. Edward Pepper.
People could get over a certain frankness in Clifford's address, but the
most lenient were astounded by the swagger of Long Ned. Clifford,
however, not insensible to the ridicule attached to his acquaintances,
soon managed to pursue his occupations alone; nay, he took a lodging to
himself, and left Long Ned and Augustus Tomlinson (the latter to operate
as a check on the former) to the quiet enjoyment of the hairdresser's
apartments. He himself attended all public gayeties; and his mien, and
the appearance of wealth which he maintained, procured him access into
several private circles which pretended to be exclusive,--as if people
who had daughters ever could be exclusive! Many were the kind looks, nor
few the inviting letters, which he received; and if his sole object had
been to marry an heiress, he would have found no difficulty in attaining
it. But he devoted himself entirely to Lucy Brandon; and to win one
glance from her, he would have renounced all the heiresses in the
kingdom. Most fortunately for him, Mauleverer, whose health was easily