'
A look of the greatest glee at the discomfiture of his companion
overspread his face.
'Certainly,' he said with a loud laugh. 'You may call him that, you
may even qualify the noun you have used with an adjective if the
author of the _Proverbial Philosophy_ can think of one that is
properly descriptive and yet not too unparliamentary. So you are
Cyril Aylwin's kinsman. I have heard him,' he said, with a smile that
he tried in vain to suppress, 'I have heard Cyril expatiate on the
various branches of the Aylwin family.'
'I belong to the proud Aylwins,' I said.
The twinkle in his eye made me adore him as he said--'The proud
Aylwins. A man who, in a world like this, is proud and knows it, and
is proud of confessing his pride, always interests me, but I will not
ask you what makes the proud Aylwins proud, sir.'
'I will tell you what makes me proud,' I said: 'my great-grandmother
was a full-blooded Gypsy, and I am proud of the descent.'
He came forward and held out his hand and said, 'It is long since I
met a man who interested me'--he gave a sigh--'very long; and I hope
that you and I may become friends.
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