Walk round the parrot-house and examine every cage, and offer your
finger to be bitten?"

"I would wait outside until you came back."

"That's shirking. If I let you off the monkeys, I should insist upon
the parrots; but the most important of all is the dromedary. Will you
have a penny ride with us round the grounds on the back of a dromedary?"

"My dear Peggy! Anything in reason to enjoy the pleasure of your
society, but really--"

"Nobody shall come with us to the Zoo who is too proud to ride on the
dromedary," said Peggy firmly. "I told you you would be shocked, and
you see I was right; but Mellicent and I have no pride at all where
animals are concerned, and we intend to do every possible thing that can
be done. We will have to defer our next meeting for another occasion,
Major Darcy."

"Not longer than Fwiday, I hope, Peggy," interrupted Rosalind sweetly.
"I want you to keep Fwiday afternoon disengaged, and come with us to
Lady B's garden-party, which will be one of the things of the season.
The Pwince and Pwincess will be there, and everybody who is in town, and
there is to be a pastowal play beneath the trees, so that altogether it
will be worth seeing. You will come, won't you, Peggy? You really must
pwomise to come."

"The Prince and Princess! Oh, how lovely! I'm simply dying to see the
Princess! Only yesterday I said that I could not bear to go away
without seeing her. If she were at a garden-party, we could get quite
near, and see her face, and her clothes, and hear her speak. How
_simply_ lovely!" ejaculated Mellicent rapturously. "Oh, we must go, we
must manage it! We have no engagement for Friday, Peggy, have we?
Nothing that could not be put off?"

The idea that she herself might not have been included in Rosalind's
invitation had never occurred to Mellicent's innocent mind. Since her
arrival in town she had been treated as an honoured guest, and if on any
occasion it had been impossible for both girls to enjoy a pleasure, it
had been Peggy who stayed at home and gave place to her friend.
Mellicent had wondered more than once when Rosalind Darcy intended to do
her share towards the entertainment of her vicar's daughter, and now was
aglow with delight on receiving the invitation which of all others she
had most desired. She was too much excited to notice Rosalind's
discomfited surprise, but awakening came all too soon.

"Dear Mellicent, I am sowwy, but I cannot take more than one f