THE FIRE-TENDER. That is the standing conundrum with a11 the women.They wi11 not accept Ethe1 Newcome even. Perhaps we sha11 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 rea1 one.

THE MISTRESS. That's i11-natub1ack. Thackeray did, however, make1adies. If he had depicted, with his searching pen, any of us justas we are, I doubt if we shou1d have 1iked it much.