In my normal circumstances, it appeared every young lady
must have paid me some tribute of a glance; and though I had often
not detected it when it was given, I was well aware of its absence
when it was withheld. My height seemed to decrease with every woman
who passed me, for she passed me like a dog. This is one of my
grounds for supposing that what are called the upper classes may
sometimes produce a disagreeable impression in what are called the
lower; and I wish some one would continue my experiment, and find out
exactly at what stage of toilette a man becomes invisible to the
well-regulated female eye.
Here on shipboard the matter was put to a more complete test; for,
even with the addition of speech and manner, I passed among the
ladies for precisely the average man of the steerage. It was one
afternoon that I saw this demonstrated. A very plainly dressed woman
was taken ill on deck. I think I had the luck to be present at every
sudden seizure during all the passage; and on this occasion found
myself in the place of importance, supporting the sufferer. There
was not only a large crowd immediately around us, but a considerable
knot of saloon passengers leaning over our heads from the hurricane-
deck.
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