am not afraid to ask a good deal myself. She shall have everything a woman can desire; I shall not even object to her being too good for me; she may be cleverer and wiser than I can understand, and I shall only be the better pleased. I want to possess, in a word, the best article in the market.” 

 “Why didn’t you tell a fellow all this at the outset?” Tristram demanded. “I have been trying so to make you fond of me!” 

 “This is very interesting,” said Mrs. Tristram. “I like to see a man know his own mind.” 

 “I have known mine for a long time,” Newman went on. “I made up my mind tolerably early in life that a beautiful wife was the thing best worth having, here below. It is the greatest victory over circumstances. When I say beautiful, I mean beautiful in mind and in manners, as well as in person. It is a thing every man has an equal right to; he may get it if he can. He doesn’t have to be born with certain faculties, on purpose; he needs only to be a man. Then he needs only to use his will, and such wits as he has, and to try.” 

 “It strikes me that your marriage is to be rather a matter of vanity.” 

 “Well, it is certain,” said Newman, “that if people notice my wife and admire her, I shall be mightily tickled.” 

 “After this,” cried Mrs. Tristram, “call any man modest!” 

 “But none of them will admire her so much as I.” 

 “I see you have a taste for splendor.” 

 Newman hesitated a little; and then, “I honestly believe I have!” he said. 

 “And I suppose you have already looked about you a good deal.” 

 “A good deal, according to opportunity.” 

 “And you have seen nothing that satisfied you?” 

 “No,” said Newman, half reluctantly, “I am bound to say in honesty that I have seen nothing that really satisfied me.” 

 “You remind me of the heroes of the French romantic poets, Rolla and Fortunio and all those other insatiable gentlemen for whom nothing in this world was handsome enough. But I see you are in earnest, and I should like to help 

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