;
Richard only thought them gay and natural. They flung back in their
chairs and laughed to tears; Ripton thought only of the pleasure he had
in their society. The champagne-corks continued a regular file-firing.

"Where have you been lately? I haven't seen you in the park," said Mrs.
Mount to Richard.

"No," he replied, "I've not been there." The question seemed odd: she
spoke so simply that it did not impress him. He emptied his glass, and
had it filled again.

The Hon. Peter did most of the open talking, which related to horses,
yachting, opera, and sport generally: who was ruined; by what horse, or
by what woman. He told one or two of Richard's feats. Fair smiles
rewarded the hero.

"Do you bet?" said Mrs. Mount.

"Only on myself," returned Richard.

"Bravo!" cried his Bellona, and her eye sent a lingering delirious
sparkle across her brimming glass at him.

"I'm sure you're a safe one to back," she added, and seemed to scan his
points approvingly.

Richard's cheeks mounted bloom.

"Don't you adore champagne?" quoth the dame with a bosom to Ripton.

"Oh, yes!" answered Ripton, with more candour than accuracy, "I always
drink it."

"Do you indeed?" said the enraptured bosom, ogling him. "You would be a
friend, now! I hope you don't object to a lady joining you now and then.
Champagne's my folly."

A laugh was circling among the ladies of whom Adrian was the centre;
first low, and as he continued some narration, peals resounded, till
those excluded from the fun demanded the cue, and ladies leaned behind
gentlemen to take it up, and formed an electric chain of laughter. Each
one, as her ear received it, caught up her handkerchief, and laughed, and
looked shocked afterwards, or looked shocked and then spouted laughter.
The anecdote might have been communicated to the bewildered cavaliers,
but coming to a lady of a demurer cast, she looked shocked without
laughing, and reproved the female table, in whose breasts it was
consigned to burial: but here and there a man's head was seen bent, and a
lady's mouth moved, though her face was not turned toward him, and a
man's broad laugh was presently heard, while the lady gazed unconsciously
before her, and preserved her gravity if she could escape any other
lady's eyes; failing in which, handkerchiefs were simultaneously seized,
and a second chime arose, till the tickling force subsided to a few
chance bursts.

What nonsense it is that my father writes about wom