six-and-sixty, instead of six-and-thirty; but then he can drink more than
any two-legged animal in his majesty's dominions, and you know that is an
advantage which is well worth twenty or thirty years of a man's
life--especially to persons who have no other chance of distinguishing
themselves."

"If some people had distinguished themselves a little less in the world,"
retorted his lordship, "it would have been as well!"

"As well!--how flat!"

"Flatly then I have to inform you, Lady Delacour, that I will neither be
contradicted nor laughed at--you understand me,--it would be as well, flat
or not flat, my Lady Delacour, if your ladyship would attend more to your
own conduct, and less to others!"

"To _that_ of others--his lordship means, if he means any thing. Apropos,
Belinda, did not you tell me Clarence Hervey is coming to town?--You have
never seen him.--Well, I'll describe him to you by negatives. He is _not_
a man who ever says any thing flat--he is _not_ a man who must he wound up
with half a dozen bottles of champaign before he can _go_--he is _not_ a
man who, when he does go, goes wrong, and won't be set right--he is _not_
a man, whose whole consequence, if he were married, would depend on his
wife--he is _not_ a man, who, if he were married, would be so desperately
afraid of being governed by his wife, that he would turn gambler, jockey,
or sot, merely to show that he could govern himself."

"Go on, Lady Delacour," said his lordship, who had been in vain attempting
to balance a spoon on the edge of his teacup during the whole of this
speech, which was delivered with the most animated desire to provoke--"Go