“And, my dear,” said Mr. Badger, “what do I always tell you?  That without any affectation of disparaging such professional distinction as I may have attained (which our friend Mr. Carstone will have many opportunities of estimating), I am not so weak—­no, really,” said Mr. Badger to us generally, “so unreasonable—­as to put my reputation on the same footing with such first-rate men as Captain Swosser and Professor Dingo.  Perhaps you may be interested, Mr. Jarndyce,” continued Mr. Bayham Badger, leading the way into the next drawing-room, “in this portrait of Captain Swosser.  It was taken on his return home from the African station, where he had suffered from the fever of the country.  Mrs. Badger considers it too yellow.  But it’s a very fine head.  A very fine head!”

We all echoed, “A very fine head!”

“I feel when I look at it,” said Mr. Badger, “’That’s a man I should like to have seen!’ It strikingly bespeaks the first-class man that Captain Swosser pre-eminently was.  On the other side, Professor Dingo.  I knew him well—­attended him in his last illness—­a speaking likeness!  Over the piano, Mrs. Bayham Badger when Mrs. Swosser.  Over the sofa, Mrs. Bayham Badger when Mrs. Dingo.  Of Mrs. Bayham Badger in ESSE, I possess the original and have no copy.”

Dinner was now announced, and we went downstairs.  It was a very genteel entertainment, very handsomely served.  But the captain and the professor still ran in Mr. Badger’s head, and as Ada and I had the honour of being under his particular care, we had the full benefit of them.

“Water, Miss Summerson?  Allow me!  Not in that tumbler, pray.  Bring me the professor’s goblet, James!”

Ada very much admired some artificial flowers under a glass.

“Astonishing how they keep!” said Mr. Badger.  “They were presented to Mrs. Bayham Badger when she was in the Mediterranean.”

He invited Mr. Jarndyce to take a glass of claret.

“Not that claret!” he said.  “Excuse me!  This is an occasion, and on an occasion I produce some very special claret I happen to have.  (James, Captain Swosser’s wine!) Mr. Jarndyce, this is a wine that was imported by the captain, we will not say how many years ago.  You will find it very curious.  My dear, I shall he happy to take some of this wine with you. (Captain Swosser’s claret to your mistress, James!) My love, your health!”

After dinner, when we ladies retired, we took Mrs. Badger’s first and second husband with us.  Mrs. Badger gave us in the drawing-room a biographical sketch of the life and services of Captain Swosser before his marriage and a more minute account of him dating from the time when he fell in love with her at a ball on board the Crippler, given to the officers of that ship when she lay in Plymouth Harbour.