sequence of courses might be served without haste before the
gentlemen settled down to their cigars.

Archer had not seen his wife since the evening before. He had left
early for the office, where he had plunged into an accumulation of
unimportant business. In the afternoon one of the senior partners had
made an unexpected call on his time; and he had reached home so late
that May had preceded him to the van der Luydens', and sent back the
carriage.

Now, across the Skuytercliff carnations and the massive plate, she
struck him as pale and languid; but her eyes shone, and she talked with
exaggerated animation.

The subject which had called forth Mr. Sillerton Jackson's favourite
allusion had been brought up (Archer fancied not without intention) by
their hostess. The Beaufort failure, or rather the Beaufort attitude
since the failure, was still a fruitful theme for the drawing-room
moralist; and after it had been thoroughly examined and condemned Mrs.
van der Luyden had turned her scrupulous eyes on May Archer.

"Is it possible, dear, that what I hear is true? I was told your
grandmother Mingott's carriage was seen standing at Mrs. Beaufort's
door." It was noticeable that she no longer called the offending lady
by her Christian name.

May's colour rose, and Mrs. Archer put in hastily: "If it was, I'm
convinced it was there without Mrs. Mingott's knowledge."

"Ah, you think--?" Mrs. van der Luyden paused, sighed, and glanced at
her husband.

"I'm afraid," Mr. van der Luyden said, "that Madame Olenska's kind
heart may have led her into the imprudence of calling on Mrs. Beaufort."

"Or her taste for peculiar people," put in Mrs. Archer in a dry tone,
while her eyes dwelt innocently on her son's.

"I'm sorry to think it of Madame Olenska," said Mrs. van der Luyden;
and Mrs. Archer murmured: "Ah, my dear--and after you'd had her twice
at Skuytercliff!"

It was at this point that Mr. Jackson seized the chance to place his
favourite allusion.

"At the Tuileries," he repeated, seeing the eyes of the company
expectantly turned on him, "the standard was excessively lax in some
respects; and if you'd asked where Morny's money came from--! Or who
paid the debts of some of the Court beauties ..."

"I hope, dear Sillerton," said Mrs. Archer, "you are not suggesting
that we should adopt such standards?"

"I never suggest," returned Mr. Jackson imperturbably. "But Madame
Olenska's foreign bringing-up may make he