,' says Paul, moving towards the well filled drawing-room; the
music has ceased and everyone is talking at once. He pauses for a second
in the doorway and glances round the room, bowing to two or three
people, then making his way to the window holds out his hand to a girl
who is looking decidedly _ennuyee_.

'How do you do, Mr Ponsonby,' she says in a clear sweet voice, 'I'm so
glad you've come, don't you know the feeling of loneliness that comes
over one in a crowd of unknown people, and I've been here all the
afternoon feeling dreadfully cross, and have wished myself back again in
Switzerland about twenty times. It's rather a bad beginning,' she adds,
with a little laugh--

'Feeling cross, do you mean?' asks he, 'I often think it does one a
great deal of good to be cross. I wish Mrs Grundy didn't come between us
and the carpet, it would be so delightful to sprawl full length on it
and roar; I remember I used to derive a great deal of comfort in it in
the days of my youth.'

'I suppose that was a long time ago,' says she, mischievously--

'Yes, of course, almost centuries--but where's Teddy?'

'Gone out for a walk,' replied Philippa, 'isn't he a dear little boy?'

Paul Ponsonby laughs and says, 'I I think him rather the _enfant
terrible_, but I suppose women are naturally fond of children, even
taken as a whole; it does not matter much what they are like taken
singly.'

Some one has begun to sing and Philippa does not answer, but when the
song is finished, she asks the name of an old lady who is sitting on the
sofa at the farther end of the room.

'The one with the blue feather, that's Lady Dadford,' says Ponsonby,
'and that's her daughter standing by her, Lady Anne; she is very clever;
but surely they're some sort of relation to you, I know the old lady
comes here very often.'

'Well, child,' exclaims little Mrs Seaton, coming up and laying her hand
on Philippa's shoulder; 'they have nearly all gone, thank goodness, I am
afraid you have been very dull, eh?'

Philippa laughs, while Paul twirling his moustache says, 'You know I've
been talking to Miss Seaton for the last half hour, as you told me to,
next time I shall not obey you if this is all the thanks I get.'

Philippa looks up quickly, so this is why he has been talking to her.
'It was very good of you,' she says in a very polite tone, 'very kind,
but you need not have troubled yourself so much, I am quite happy
watching people.'

'My dear child, wh