s she made a row at Sherry's last night, making
you and some lady you had with you as conspicuous as herself. Mrs.
Vane was there and carried it straight to mother. Mother's no fool and
had already got on to this younger generation business and given Janny
one or two tongue lashings, but she never dreamed it had gone as far as
it looks. Roaming the streets alone at one in the morning! She'd
undoubtedly been drinking last night--God! I've a notion to take a
switch to her. And I suppose she was pretty well lit the night you
picked her up. I've never seen a hint of it. Janny's spoilt enough.
Her mother never had the slightest control over her and she could
always get round me. But she won't in the future. I'll get top-hand
somehow. God! My daughter! Tell me your side of it, will you?"

Clavering, who was genuinely fond of Oglethorpe, and relieved,
moreover, that he had not yet heard of Madame Zattiany, gave a cautious
and colorless account of the adventure.

"It is possible that she had had a cocktail or two," he concluded.
"But you must expect that. If the flapper should adopt a coat of arms
no doubt it would be a cocktail rampant with three cigarettes argent on
a field de rouge. However, it wouldn't be a bad idea if you took her
in hand. That is, if you can."

"I'll do it all right. D'you mean to tell me she was at Farren's
without a chaperon?"

"There may have been a chaperon to each couple for all I know."

"You know damn well there wasn't. No chaperon would have left her
alone."

"But surely, Jim, you know that chaperons are practically obsolete.
They don't gee with cocktails and petting parties. The New Freedom!
The Reign of Youth!"

"Damn nonsense. No, I didn't know it. I supposed she was properly
chaperoned, as girls of her class always have been. You know how much
I care for Society, and I haven't got to the chicken stage either.
Took it for granted that certain cast-iron conventions were still
observed, in our set at least. Of course I've seen her drink cocktails
at home and thought it rather cute, and I've rubbed the paint off her
cheeks and lips once or twice. Girls are making up nowadays as if they
were strumpets, but some little fool started it, and you know the old
saying: 'What one monkey does the other monkey must do.' It never
worried me. Of course I've heard more or less about these young
idiots; they're always being discussed and written up; but somehow you
never think