dards at all, and refused to play any more. Miss
Mapp, in the highest good-humour, urged her not to despair.

"Indeed, dear Contessa," she said, "you play very well. A little
overbidding of your hand, perhaps, do you think? but that is a tendency
we are all subject to: I often overbid my hand myself. Not a little wee
rubber more? I'm sure I should like to be your partner again. You must
come and play at my house some afternoon. We will have tea early, and
get a good two hours. Nothing like practice."

The evening came to an end without the great announcement being made,
but Miss Mapp, as she reviewed the events of the party, sitting next
morning in her observation-window, found the whole evidence so
overwhelming that it was no longer worth while to form conjectures,
however fruitful, on the subject, and she diverted her mind to pleasing
reminiscences and projects for the future. She had certainly been
distinguished by the Contessa's marked regard, and her opinion of her
charm and ability was of the very highest.... No doubt her strange
remark about duelling at dinner had been humorous in intention, but many
a true word is spoken in jest, and the Contessa--perspicacious
woman--had seen at once that Major Benjy and Captain Puffin were just
the sort of men who might get to duelling (or, at any rate, challenging)
about a woman. And her asking which of the ladies the men were most in
love with, and her saying that she believed it was Miss Mapp! Miss Mapp
had turned nearly as red as poor Diva when that came out, so lightly and
yet so acutely....

Diva! It had, of course, been a horrid blow to find that Diva had been
asked to Mr. Wyse's party in the first instance, and an even shrewder
one when Diva entered (with such unnecessary fussing and apology on the
part of Mr. Wyse) in the crimson-lake. Luckily, it would be seen no
more, for Diva had promised--if you could trust Diva--to send it to the
dyer's; but it was a great puzzle to know why Diva had it on at all, if
she was preparing to spend a solitary evening at home. By eight o'clock
she ought by rights to have already had her tray, dressed in some old
thing; but within three minutes of her being telephoned for she had
appeared in the crimson-lake, and eaten so heartily that it was
impossible to imagine, greedy though she was, that she had already
consumed her tray.... But in spite of Diva's adventitious triumph, the
main feeling in Miss Mapp's mind was pity for her. She lo