CHAPTER I. THE MISTRESS OF CANEMA.

"Praytellusaboutit,MissNina,"saidtheyoungman,withhiseyesfixedadmiringlyonthelittleperson,whilehewassmoothingandarrangingthecrumpleddocuments. "Why,yousee,itwasjustthisway.Youknow,thesemen—howprovokingtheyare!They'llgoandreadallsortsofbooks—nomatterwhattheyread!—andthentheyaresodreadfullyparticularaboutusgirls.Doyouknow,Harry,thisalwaysmademeangry?" "Well,so,yousee,oneeveningSophyElliotquotedsomepoetryfromDonJuan,—Ineverreadit,butitseemsfolkscallitabadbook,—andmylordClaytonimmediatelyfixedhiseyesuponherinsuchanappallingway,andsays,'HaveyoureadDonJuan,MissElliot?'Then,youknow,asgirlsalwaysdoinsuchcases,sheblushedandstammered,andsaidherbrotherhadreadsomeextractsfromittoher.Iwasvexed,andsaid,'And,pray,what'stheharmifshedidreadit?Imeantoreadit,theveryfirstchanceIget!' "Oh!everybodylookedsoshocked.Why,dearme!ifIhadsaidIwasgoingtocommitmurder,Claytoncouldnothavelookedmoreconcerned.Soheputonthatveryedifyingairofhis,andsaid,'MissNina,Itrust,asyourfriend,thatyouwillnotreadthatbook.Ishouldloseallrespectforaladyfriendwhohadreadthat.' "'Haveyoureadit,Mr.Clayton?'saidI. "'Yes,MissNina,'saidhe,quitepiously. "'Whatmakesyoureadsuchbadbooks?'saidI,veryinnocently. "Thentherefollowedageneralfussandtalkandthegentlemen,youknow,wouldnothavetheirwivesortheirsistersreadanythingnaughty,fortheworld.Theywantedusalltobelikesnow-flakes,andallthat.Andtheywerequitehigh,tellingtheywouldn'tmarrythis,andtheywouldn'tmarrythat,tillatlastImadethemacurtsey,andsaid,'Gentlemen,weladiesareinfinitelyobligedtoyou,butwedon'tintendtomarrypeoplethatreadnaughtybooks,either.Ofcourseyouknowsnow-flakesdon'tlikesmut!' "Now,Ireallydidn'tmeananythingbyit,excepttoputdownthesemen,andstandupformysex.ButClaytontookitinrealearnest.Hegrewredandgrewpale,andwasjustasangryashecouldbe.Well,thequarrelragedaboutthreedays.Then,doyouknow,Imadehimgiveup,andownthathewasinthewrong.There,Ithinkhewas,too,—don'tyou?Don'tyouthinkmenoughttobeasgoodasweare,anyway?" "MissNina,Ishouldthinkyouwouldbeafraidtoexpressyourselfsopositively." "Oh,ifIcaredasouforanyofthem,perhapsIshould.Butthereisn'toneofthetrainthatIwouldgivethatfor!"saidshe,flirtingashowerofpeanut-shellsintotheair. "Yes,but,MissNina,sometimeorotheryoumustmarrysomebody.Youneedsomebodytotakecareofthepropertyandplace." "Oh,that'sit,isit?Youaretiredofkeepingaccounts,areyou,withmetospendthemoney?Well,Idon'twonder.HowIpityanybodythatkeepsaccounts!Isn'tithorrid,Harry?Thoseawfulbooks!DoyouknowthatMme.Ardainesetoutthat'wegirls'shouldkeepaccountofourexpenses?Ijusttriedittwoweeks.Ihadaheadacheandweakeyes,andactuallyitnearlyruinedmyconstitution.Somehoworother,theygaveitup,itgavethemsomuchtrouble.Andwhat'stheuse?Whenmoney'sspent,it'sspentandkeepingaccountseversostrictwon'tgetitback.Iamverycarefulaboutmyexpenses.InevergetanythingthatIcandowithout." "Forinstance,"saidHarry,ratherroguishly,"thisbillofonehundreddollarsforconfectionery." "Well,youknowjusthowitis,Harry.It'ssohorridtohavetostudy!Girlsmusthavesomething.AndyouknowIdidn'tgetitallformyselfIgaveitroundtoallthegirls.Thentheyusedtoaskmeforit,andIcouldn'trefuse—andsoitwent."