drops abruptly on a knee to protest, overpowered; and in that posture he is patted on the head, while the subject of conversation is continued by the benevolent lady, until the form of ointment she administers for his beseeching expression and his pain compels him to rise and resume his allotted part with a mouth of acknowledging laughter.  Humour, as a beautiful woman’s defensive weapon, is probably the best that can be called in aid for the bringing of suppliant men to their senses.  And so manageable are they when the idea of comedy and the chord of chivalry are made to vibrate, that they (supposing them of the impressionable race which is overpowered by Aphrodite’s favourites) will be withdrawn from their great aims, and transformed into happy crust-munching devotees—­in other words, fast friends.  Lady Duff Gordon had many, and the truest, and of all lands.  She had, on the other hand, her number of detractors, whom she excused.  What woman is without them, if she offends the conventions, is a step in advance of her day, and, in this instance, never hesitates upon the needed occasion to dub things with their right names?  She could appreciate their disapproval of her in giving herself the airs of a man, pronouncing verdicts on affairs in the style of a man, preferring association with men.  So it was; and, besides, she smoked.  Her physician had hinted at the soothing for an irritated throat that might come of some whiffs of tobacco.  She tried a cigar, and liked it, and smoked from that day, in her library chair and on horseback.  Where she saw no harm in an act, opinion had no greater effect on her than summer flies to one with a fan.  The country people, sorely tried by the spectacle at first, remembered the gentle deeds and homely chat of an eccentric lady, and pardoned her, who was often to be seen discoursing familiarly with the tramp on the road, incapable of denying her house-door to the lost dog attached by some instinct to her heels.  In the circles named ‘upper’ there was mention of women unsexing themselves.  She preferred the society of men, on the plain ground that they discuss matters of weight, and are—­the pick of them—­of open speech, more liberal, more genial, better comrades.  Was it wonderful to hear them, knowing her as they did, unite in calling her coeur d’or?  And women could say it of her, for the reasons known to women.  Her intimate friendships were with women as with men.  The closest friend of this most manfully-minded of women was one of her sex, little resembling her, except in downright truthfulness, lovingness, and heroic fortitude.