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 to Mrs. Million, and promising to return as soon as possible, and lead her to the music room, the Marquess retired, with the determination of annihilating one of the stoutest members of the Political Economy club.

Vivian began by apologising to Mrs. Million, for disturbing her progress to the hall, by his sudden arrival before dinner; and then for a quarter of an hour was poured forth the usual quantity of piquant anecdotes, and insidious compliments. Mrs. Million found Vivian's conversation no disagreeable relief to the pompous prosiness of the late attaché, and, although no brilliant star dangled at his breast, she could not refrain from feeling extremely pleased.

And now, having succeeded in commanding Mrs. Million's attention by that general art of pleasing, which was for all the world, and which was of course, formed upon his general experience of human nature,—Vivian began to make