a with a few
original reflections. Excepting always your own sweet self, there isn't
a single woman in the land who understands me when I am what's the
word?'

'Tete-fele suggested Mrs. Mallowe.

'Exactly! And now let us have tiffin. The demands of Society are
exhausting, and as Mrs. Delville says,--' Here Mrs. Hauksbee, to the
horror of the khitmatgars, lapsed into a series of grunts, while Mrs.
Mallowe stared in lazy surprise.

'"God gie us a guid conceit of oorselves,"' said Mrs. Hauksbee piously,
returning to her natural speech. 'Now, in any other woman that would
have been vulgar. I am consumed with curiosity to see Mrs. Bent. I
expect complications.'

'Woman of one idea,' said Mrs. Mallowe shortly; 'all complications are
as old as the hills! I have lived through or near all all All!'

'And yet do not understand that men and women never behave twice alike.
I am old who was young if ever I put my head in your lap, you dear, big
sceptic, you will learn that my parting is gauze but never, no never,
have I lost my interest in men and women. Polly, I shall see this
business out to the bitter end.'

'I am going to sleep,' said Mrs. Mallowe calmly. 'I never interfere with
men or women unless I am compelled,' and she retired with dignity to her
own room.

Mrs. Hauksbee's curiosity was not long left ungratified, for Mrs. Bent
came up to Simla a few days after the conversation faithfully reported
above, and pervaded the Mall by her husband's side.

'Behold!' said Mrs. Hauksbee, thoughtfully rubbing her nose. 'That is
the last link of the chain, if we omit the husband of the Delville,
whoever he may be. Let me consider. The Bents and the Delvilles inhabit
the same hotel; and the Delville is detested by the Waddy do you know
the Waddy? who is almost as big a dowd. The Waddy also abominates the
male Bent, for which, if her other sins do not weigh too heavily, she
will eventually go to Heaven.'

'Don't be irreverent,' said Mrs. Mallowe, 'I like Mrs. Bent's face.'

'I am discussing the Waddy,' returned Mrs. Hauksbee loftily. 'The Waddy
will take the female Bent apart, after having borrowed yes! everything
that she can, from hairpins to babies' bottles. Such, my dear, is life
in a hotel. The Waddy will tell the female Bent facts and fictions about
The Dancing Master and The Dowd.'

'Lucy, I should like you better if you were not always looking into
people's back-bedrooms.'

'Anybody can look into their front drawin