season, you know. But go on. What you said interested me
immensely, although I don't agree with you. I have certain fixed
standards when it comes to the drama."

She picked him up and the argument lasted until they were seated in
Pierre's and had ordered tea.

"I might have taken you home," she said then. "We could have had tea
in my den. No doubt Countess Zattiany was returning with mother, who,
it seems, has always adored her----"

"This is ever so much nicer, for we are far less likely to be
interrupted. I haven't had a real talk with you for months."

And he gave her a look of boyish pleasure, wholly insincere, but so
well done that she flushed slightly.

"Is that my fault? There was a time when you came almost every day.
And then you never came in the same way again." It evidently cost her
something to say this, for her flush deepened, but she managed a glance
of dignified archness.

"Oh, remember I had a villainous attack of the flu, and after that
there were arrears of work to make up. Moreover, the dramatic critic
came down with an even longer attack and they piled his work on me. I
don't know what it is to 'drop in' these days."

"Well--are you always to be driven to death? I read your column
religiously and it runs so smoothly and spontaneously that it doesn't
seem possible it can take you more than an hour to write it."

"An hour! Little you know. And subjects don't drop out of the clouds,
dear Anne. I have to go through all the newspapers, read an endless
number of books--not all fiction by a long sight--glance through the
magazines, reviews, weekly publications and foreign newspapers, read my
rivals' columns, go about among the Sophisticates, attend first-nights,
prize-fights, and even see the best of the movies. I assure you it's a
dog's life."

"It sounds tremendously interesting. Far, far more so than my own. I
am so tired of that! I--that is one thing I wanted to talk to you
about--I meant to bring it up at my dinner--I wish you would introduce
me to some of your Sophisticates. Uncle Din says they are the most
interesting people in New York and that he always feels young again
when he is at one of their parties. Will you take me to one?"

"Of course I will. The novelty might amuse you----"

"It's not only novelty I want. I want really to know people whose
minds are constantly at work, who are doing the things we get the
benefit of when we are intelligent enough to app