 ever came to marry a fellow like that, passes my comprehension, queer
creatures as women are! He can ride; that's about all he can do. I told him Mrs.
Warwick had no thought of reconciliation. Then, Sir Lukin, you will perceive
that we have no standpoint for a discussion. I told him the point was, for a man
of honour not to drag his wife before the public, as he had no case to stand on
- less than nothing. You should have seen the fellow's face. He shot a sneer up
to his eyelids, and flung his head back. So I said, Good-day. He marches me to
the door, with his compliments to Lady Dunstane. I could have floored him for
that. Bless my soul, what fellows the world is made of, when here's a man,
calling himself a gentleman, who, just because he gets in a rage with his wife
for one thing or another - and past all competition the handsomest woman of her
day, and the cleverest, the nicest, the best of the whole boiling - has her out
for a public horsewhipping, and sets all the idiots of the kingdom against her!
I tried to reason with him. He made as if he were going to sleep standing.«
    Sir Lukin gratified Lady Dunstane by his honest championship of Diana. And
now, in his altered mood (the thrice indebted rogue was just cloudily conscious
of a desire to propitiate his dear wife by serving her friend), he began a
crusade against the scandal-newspapers, going with an Irish military comrade
straight to the editorial offices, and leaving his card and a warning that the
chastisement for print of the name of the lady in their columns would be
personal and condign. Captain Carew Mahony, albeit unacquainted with Mrs.
Warwick, had espoused her cause. She was a woman, she was an Irishwoman, she was
a beautiful woman. She had, therefore, three positive claims on him as a soldier
and a man. Other Irish gentlemen, animated by the same swelling degrees were
awaking to the intimation that they might be wanted. Some words were dropped
here and there by General Lord Larrian: he regretted his age and infirmities. A
goodly regiment for a bodyguard might have been selected to protect her steps in
the public streets, when it was bruited that the General had sent her a present
of his great Newfoundland dog, Leander, to attend on her and impose a required
respect. But as it chanced that her address was unknown to the volunteer
constabulary, they had
