"
"No, indeed, sir," smiled Barnabas, reassuringly, "but the book
here--which I am given to understand is wholly infallible--says that
to bow is the most important item of a gentlemanly equipment, and in
the World of Fashion--"
"In the World of Fashion, sir, there are no gentlemen left," his
hearer broke in.
"How, sir--?"
"I say no, sir, no one. I say, damme, sir--"
"But, sir--"
"I say there are no gentlemen in the fashionable world--they are all
blackguardly Bucks, cursed Corinthians, and mincing Macaronies
nowadays, sir. Fashionable world--bah, sir!"
"But, sir, is not the Prince himself--"
"The Prince, sir!" Here the one-armed gentleman clapped on his hat
and snorted, "The Prince is a--prince, sir; he's also an authority
on sauce and shoe-buckles. Let us talk of something more
interesting--yourself, for instance."
Barnabas bowed.
"Sir," said he, "my name is Barnabas--Barnabas Beverley."
"Hum!" said the other, thoughtfully, "I remember a Beverley--a
lieutenant under Hardy in the 'Agamemnon'--though, to be sure, he
spelt his name with an 'l-e-y.'"
"So do I, sir," said Barnabas.
"Hum!"
"Secondly, I am on my way to London.
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