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"Look at me!" said Stryver, squaring himself; "I have less need

to make myself agreeable than you have, being more independent in

circumstances. Why do I do it?"

"I never saw you do it yet," muttered Carton.

"I do it because it's politic; I do it on principle. And look at

me! I get on."

"You don't get on with your account of your matrimonial

intentions," answered Carton, with a careless air; "I wish you

would keep to that. As to me--will you never understand that I am

incorrigible?"

He asked the question with some appearance of scorn.

"You have no business to be incorrigible," was his friend's

answer, delivered in no very soothing tone.

"I have no business to be, at all, that I know of," said Sydney

Carton. "Who is the lady?"