en! thought Richard.
He says they can't laugh, and don't understand humour. It comes, he
reflected, of his shutting himself from the world. And the idea that he
was seeing the world, and feeling wiser, flattered him. He talked
fluently to his dangerous Bellona. He gave her some reminiscences of
Adrian's whimsies.

"Oh!" said she, "that's your tutor, is it!" She eyed the young man as if
she thought he must go far and fast.

Ripton felt a push. "Look at that," said the bosom, fuming utter disgust.
He was directed to see a manly arm round the waist of the mignonne. "Now
that's what I don't like in company," the bosom inflated to observe with
sufficient emphasis. "She always will allow it with everybody. Give her a
nudge."

Ripton protested that he dared not; upon which she said, "Then I will";
and inclined her sumptuous bust across his lap, breathing wine in his
face, and gave the nudge. The mignonne turned an inquiring eye on Ripton;
a mischievous spark shot from it. She laughed, and said; "Aren't you
satisfied with the old girl?"

"Impudence!" muttered the bosom, growing grander and redder.

"Do, do fill her glass, and keep her quiet--she drinks port when there's
no more champagne," said the mignonne.

The bosom revenged herself by whispering to Ripton scandal of the
mignonne, and between them he was enabled to form a correcter estimate of
the company, and quite recovered from his original awe: so much so as to
feel a touch of jealousy at seeing his lively little neighbour still held
in absolute possession.

Mrs. Mount did not come out much; but there was a deferential manner in
the bearing of the men toward her, which those haughty creatures accord
not save to clever women; and she contrived to hold the talk with three
or four at the head of the table while she still had passages aside with
Richard.

The port and claret went very well after the champagne. The ladies here
did not ignominiously surrender the field to the gentlemen; they
maintained their position with honour. Silver was seen far out on Thames.
The wine ebbed, and the laughter. Sentiment and cigars took up the
wondrous tale.

"Oh, what a lovely night!" said the ladies, looking above.

"Charming," said the gentlemen, looking below.

The faint-smelling cool Autumn air was pleasant after the feast. Fragrant
weeds burned bright about the garden.

"We are split into couples," said Adrian to Richard, who was standing
alone, eying the landscape. "T