“Yes, but it was contradicted again,” observed his neighbour.
“They say it was his friend, the Captain Montgomery, one hears so much of, who shot himself,” observed a third.
“For love, was it not?” asked a young lady.
“Oh yes, of course,” drawled out her destined partner, dropping a sleepy glance out of the corner of his eye, without turning his head; for he was an exquisite; “You ladies are the cause of every mischief, you know. You drive us poor men to distraction, and then blame us for the rash actions which your own charms have caused us to commit.”
“It was not the lady’s fault!” said his partner; “she could not marry them both, you know.”
“And so she made the best division she could, you think, in accepting the one as a lover, and the other as a husband?” retorted the gentleman.
“Nonsense!” said the young lady: “but as the papers said that Captain Montgomery was the favoured lover, why should he shoot himself?”
“Cannot say, really. The quadrilles are forming; we had better take our place.”
“Lady Julia L. is vastly lovely! Is she not?” he proceeded, after they had secured their ground. The lady was wondering how Captain Montgomery, or any body else, could have been preferred to Lord Fitz-Ullin, he was so handsome; and only answered, “Yes, very pretty indeed: and what a beautiful dress she has on!”
Several sets of quadrilles were now arranged, and were on the point of commencing.