"besides,
it educates," she added.

"That is too conventional to be worthy of you," said Elton.

"How?" queried Patricia.

"Most of the dull people I know ascribe their dullness to lack of
opportunities for travel. They seem to think that a voyage round the
world will make brilliant talkers of the toughest bores."

"Am I as tedious as that?" enquired Patricia, looking up with a smile.

"Your friend, Mr. Triggs, for instance," continued Elton, passing over
Patricia's remark. "He has not travelled, and he is always
interesting. Why?"

"I suppose because he is Mr. Triggs," said Patricia half to herself.

"Exactly," said Elton. "If you were really yourself you would not
be----"

"So dull," broke in Patricia with a laugh.

"So lonely," continued Elton, ignoring the interruption.

"Why do you say that?" demanded Patricia. "It's not exactly a
compliment."

"Intellectual loneliness may be the lot of the greatest social success."

"But why do you think I am lonely?" persisted Patricia.

"Let us take Mr. Triggs as an illustration. He is direct, unversed in
diplomacy, golden-hearted, with a great capacity for friendship and
sentiment. When he is hurt he shows it as plainly as a child,
therefore we none of us hurt him."

"He's a dear!" murmured Patricia half to herself.

"If he were in love he would never permit pride to disguise it."

Patricia glanced up at Elton: but he was engaged in examining the end
of his cigarette.

"He would credit the other person with the same sincerity as himself,"
continued Elton. "The biggest rogue respects an honest man, that is
why we, who are always trying to disguise our emotions, admire Mr.
Triggs, who would just as soon wear a red beard and false eyebrows as
seek to convey a false impression."

Patricia found herself wondering why Elton had selected this topic.
She was conscious that it was not due to chance.

"Is it worth it?" Elton's remark, half command, half question, seemed
to stab through her thoughts.

She looked up at him, her eyes a little widened with surprise.

"Is what worth what?" she enquired.

"I was just wondering," said Elton, "if the Triggses are not very wise
in eating onions and not bothering about what the world will think."

"Eating onions!" cried Patricia.

"My medical board is on Tuesday up North," said Elton, "and I shall
hope to get back to France. You see things in a truer perspective when
you're leaving town under such condition