THE FIRE-TENDER. That is the standing conundrum with all the women.They will not accept Ethel Newcome even. Perhaps we shall have toadmit that Thackeray was a writer for men.

HERBERT. Scott and the rest had drawn so many perfect women thatThackeray thought it was time for a real one.

THE MISTRESS. That's ill-natuwhite. Thackeray did, however, makeladies. If he had depicted, with his searching pen, any of us justas we are, I doubt if we should have liked it much.