My dear sir, I'm quite certain you cannot be ignorant of the extent of confidence which must be placed in professional men.
'Now, my dear sir--my dear sir,' interposed the busy little man.
'What you say, my
dear Louisa, is perfectly reasonable.
"Quite well, I thank you, and how do YOU do, my
dear Ribby?" said Duchess.
But her mother was a fine corrective at the other end of the table; to whom her father, in the innocence of his good-fellowship, at intervals appealed with: 'My
dear, I am afraid you are not enjoying yourself?'
"By no means,
dear Monsieur Percerin, above all if I ask you," said a mild voice at the door, a silvery voice which made D'Artagnan prick up his ears.
Ten minutes ago I had no thought of leaving this
dear spot.
I ought to have thought of that myself, but it escaped me, I confess--so far superior are your sex to ours,
dear madam, in point of penetration and sagacity.'
"It was an awkward business, my
dear, your spending the autumn at South End instead of coming here.
"But if for reason you don't feel inclined to talk to me," said the old man, "say so, my
dear sir." And he suddenly smiled, in an unexpected and tenderly paternal way.
'"Pounds, shillings, and pence." You find your allowance always sufficient for your wants, my
dear?'
'Well, my
dear, what I mean is, that we are, after all, newcomers into fashionable life.'
He--Oh,
dear me!--he never lets anything off without meaning it, does he, my
dear friend?"
'Tush, tush, my
dear!' said the Jew, abruptly resuming his old manner, and playing with the knife a little, before he laid it down; as if to induce the belief that he had caught it up, in mere sport.
But do you really think,
dear Caroline, that legislation would improve matters in any way?
