"No, I shan't," said Lady Carbury. "I don't believe that anything like real selling praise is ever given to anybody, except to friends. I don't know how they manage it, but they do." Mr. Alf shook his head. "Oh yes; that is all very well from you. Of course you have been a dragon of virtue; but they tell me that the authoress of the 'New Cleopatra' is a very handsome woman." Lady Carbury must have been worried much beyond her wont, when she allowed herself so far to lose her temper as to bring against Mr. Alf the double charge of being too fond of the authoress in question, and of having sacrificed the justice of his columns to that improper affection.
[Illustration: "Of course you have been a dragon of virtue."]
"At this moment I do not remember the name of the lady to whom you allude," said Mr. Alf, getting up to take his leave; "and I am quite sure that the gentleman who reviewed the book,--if there be any such lady and any such book,--had never seen her!" And so Mr. Alf departed.

"No, I shan't," said Lady Carbury. "I don't believe that praise is ever given to anybody, except friends." Mr. Alf shook his head. "Oh yes; that is all very well. Of course you have been a dragon of virtue; but they tell me that the authoress of The New Cleopatra is a very handsome woman." Lady Carbury must have been worried indeed, when she allowed herself to imply that Mr. Alf was too fond of the authoress in question to criticise her in his columns.
"I do not remember the name of the lady to whom you allude," said Mr. Alf, getting up; "and I am quite sure that the gentleman who reviewed the book - if there be any such lady and any such book - had never seen her!" And he departed.
