"I am
not cultivated, I am not even educated; I know nothing about history,
or art, or foreign tongues, or any other learned matters. But I am not
a fool, either, and I shall undertake to know something about Europe by
the time I have done with it. I feel something under my ribs here," he
added in a moment, "that I can't explain--a sort of a mighty hankering,
a desire to stretch out and haul in."
"Bravo!" said Mrs. Tristram, "that is very fine. You are the great
Western Barbarian, stepping forth in his innocence and might, gazing a
while at this poor effete Old World and then swooping down on it."
"Oh, come," said Newman. "I am not a barbarian, by a good deal. I am
very much the reverse. I have seen barbarians; I know what they are."
"I don't mean that you are a Comanche chief, or that you wear a blanket
and feathers. There are different shades."
"I am a highly civilized man," said Newman. "I stick to that. If you
don't believe it, I should like to prove it to you."
Mrs. Tristram was silent a while. "I should like to make you prove it,"
she said, at last. "I should like to put you in a difficult place."
"Pray do," said Newman.
"That has a little conceited sound!" his companion rejoined.
"Oh," said Newman, "I have a very good opinion of myself."
"I wish I could put it to the test.
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