rm hand, I feel justified in
complaining."

Gertrude walked on quickly, and said between her teeth, "I don't want to
hear any of your absurd views, Mr. Trefusis."

He laughed. "My unfortunate views!" he said. "Whenever I make an
inconvenient remark it is always set aside as an expression of certain
dangerous crazes with which I am supposed to be afflicted. When I point
out to Sir Charles that one of his favorite artists has not accurately
observed something before attempting to draw it, he replies, 'You know
our views differ on these things, Trefusis.' When I told Miss Wylie's
guardian that his emigration scheme was little better than a fraud, he
said, 'You must excuse me, but I cannot enter into your peculiar views.'
One of my views at present is that Miss Lindsay is more amiable under
the influence of hemlock than under that of the social system which has
made her so unhappy."

"Well!" exclaimed Gertrude, outraged. Then, after a pause, "I was under
the impression that I had accepted the escort of a gentleman." Then,
after another pause, Trefusis being quite undisturbed, "How do you know
that I am unhappy?"

"By a certain defect in your countenance, which lacks the crowning
beauty of happiness; and a certain defect in your voice which will never
disappear until you learn to love or pity those to whom you speak."

"You are wrong," said Gertrude, with calm disdain. "You do not
understand me in the least. I am particularly attached to my friends."

"Then I have never seen you in their company."

"You are still wrong."

"Then how can you speak as you do, look as you do, act as you do?"

"What do you mean? HOW do I look and act?"

"Like one of the railings of Belgrave Square, cursed with consciousness
of itself, fears of the judgment of the other railings, and doubts
of their fitness to stand in the same row with it. You are cold,
mistrustful, cruel to nervous or clumsy people, and more afraid of
the criticisms of those with whom you dance and dine than of your
conscience. All of which prevents you from looking like an angel."

"Thank you. Do you consider paying compliments the perfection of
gentlemanly behavior?"

"Have I been paying you many? That last remark of mine was not meant
as one. On my honor, the angels will not disappoint me if they are no
lovelier than you should be if you had that look in your face and that
tone in your voice I spoke of just now. It can hardly displease you to
hear that. If I we