The Provencal women, the women of a part of South Germany, and certain favoured spots of Italy, might challenge us, he thought.

This was a point I could argue on, or, I should rather say, take up the cudgels, for I deemed such opinions treason to one's country and an outrage to common sense, and I embarked in controversy with the single-minded intention of knocking down the man who held them.
He accepted his thrashing complacently.
'Now here comes a young lady on horseback,' he said; 'do you spy her?
dark hair, thick eyebrows, rides well, followed by a groom.

Is she a Beauty ?' In the heat of patriotism I declared she was handsome, and repeated it, though I experienced a twinge of remorse, like what I should have felt had I given Minerva the apple instead of Venus.
'Oh!' he commented, and stepped down to the road to meet her, beginning, in my hearing, 'I am the bearer of a compliment--' Her thick eyebrows stood in a knot, then she glanced at me and hung pensive.

She had not to wait a minute before my father came to her side.
'I knew you would face them,' she said.
He threw back his head like a swimmer tossing spray from his locks.
'You have read the paper ?' he asked.
'You have horsewhipped the writer ?' she rejoined.
'Oh! the poor penster!' 'Nay, we can't pretend to pity him!' 'Could we condescend to offer him satisfaction ?' 'Would he dare to demand it ?' 'We will lay the case before Lady Wilts to-night.' 'You are there to-night ?' 'At Lady Denewdney's to-morrow night--if I may indulge a hope ?' 'Both?
Oh! bravo, bravo! Tell me nothing more just now.

How did you manage it?
I must have a gallop.