"Pretty women are to be had by the score," they said, "It is the
money that tells!" Aubrey Leigh caught these rumours, and was in a
manner stung by them,--he said very little however, and to all the
congratulations he received, merely gave coldly civil thanks. And so
the gossips went to work again in their own peculiar way, and said,
"Well! She will have an iceberg for a husband, that is one thing! A
stuck up, insolent sort of chap!--not a bit of go in him!" Which was
true,--Aubrey had no "go." "Go" means, in modern parlance, to drink
oneself stupid, to bet on the most trifling passing events, and to
talk slang that would disgrace a stable-boy, as well as to amuse
oneself with all sorts of mean and vulgar intrigues which are
carried on through the veriest skulk and caddishness;--thus Aubrey
was a sad failure in "tip-top" circles. But the "tip-top" circles
are not a desirable heaven to every man;--and Aubrey did not care
much as to what sort of comments were passed on himself, provided he
could see Sylvie always "queen it" over her inferiors in that
graceful, gracious way of conquest which was her special peculiarity
and charm. Among her friends no one perhaps was happier in Sylvie's
happiness than Angela Sovrani; her nature was of that rare quality
which vibrates like a harp to every touch, and the joy of others
swept over her with a gladness which made her more glad than if she
had received some priceless boon for her own benefit.
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