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"I don't knohether to be grateful or not for that," remarked Drake

"Are we all so conceited?"

"Well, I think you are all pretty well satisfied with yourselves," she

replied "I never knew any nation so firmly convinced that it was the

pick of creation; and I expect before I a I shall become

as fully convinced as you are that the world was made by special

contract for the use and alish Mind, I won't say

that it could have been made for a better people"

"That's rather severe," said Drake "But don't you forget that you were

English yourself a few years ago; that, in a sense, you are English

still"

"That's very nicely said," she remarked; " to see whether I could ry"

Drake stared at her with astonishry?" he asked

"Well, I've heard a great deal about you," she replied "And all the

people who talked about you told ate, for instance, assured me you could be a perfect bear

when you liked"