“And for what cause do men fight duels?” asked Tom.

“The question is a wide one, and smacks of innocence on your part, Tom.  Generally a woman is the cause; but there be other matters too—­wounded self-esteem or vanity, revenge, envy, evil passions of all sorts.  But, egad, in these days it takes little to provoke the combat!  Why, it is but a few months ago that two young sparks met in mortal conflict because, forsooth, one of them had declared that Venus was the goddess of love and beauty, whilst the other affirmed that it was Aphrodite!” and Lord Claud leaned back upon his pillows and laughed aloud; laughing still more when he found that he had to explain to Tom the nature of the confusion which had prompted the duel.

Time was fast flying as the two oddly-assorted comrades talked, and soon the valet appeared at the door with the perruquier in his wake, informing his master that several gentlemen waited below, and that all was in readiness for the morning toilet.

“Heigh-ho!” sighed the young exquisite.  “Why can we not rise from our couches like the beast of the field, give ourselves a shake, and be ready for the day’s work?  These levees are the bane of my life.  But fashion, fashion, fashion!  She is the goddess of the hour.  Tom, sit over yonder, and watch the follies of thy kind.  Keep a quiet tongue, and I’ll see you are not baited.

“And now, let in the popinjays and chattering monkeys; for the sooner we begin, the sooner comes the end!”

The next two hours presented a marvellous spectacle to Tom.  There were perhaps some eight to twelve young sparks about town coming and going during that time, some remaining the whole toilet through, others roving off to other similar scenes.  Whilst the perruquier plied his skilful hands in the curling, powdering, and arranging of Lord Claud’s abundant golden hair, which some days was powdered and some days left as nature had ordered, they sat beside him in a row upon the bed and chattered of all the latest bits of scandal, the wittiest retorts of this or that sprightly dame, the on dit of the town, the quarrels of the gaming houses, and the doings of the court.

When Lord Claud left his bed and began arraying himself in the soft and costly array provided by his valet, his friends amused themselves by joining with him in the perfuming of his person; borrowing his essences to sprinkle upon their own fine clothes, washing their hands in milk and perfume to make them white and delicate; and calling to his valet to re-tie and arrange their lace-edged cravats in imitation of the style affected by Lord Claud.

Some of them removed their wigs, and asked the perruquier to give them an extra powdering; others got at the cosmetic boxes upon the toilet table, and gave a touch of carmine to cheeks which the night’s revel had left wan.  Some gave infinite pains to the arrangement of a patch to resemble a dimple; and all desired to dip their handkerchiefs in the silver bowl of rare scent which was offered almost the last thing to the master of all these luxuries.