irl that Gilbert was so gone
on at Cambridge? Lady something or other! He was rather sick with you
for mentioning her...."

"Oh, Lady Cecily Jayne!"

"Is that her name? Who is she?"

"Society female," said Ninian. "Takes an interest in literature and art
in her spare time, but she doesn't know anything about either of them.
Her brother was in our college until he got sent down. That was how
Gilbert met her. She came up one May week and made eyes at Gilbert. She
wasn't married then!..."

"Is she married?" Henry interrupted.

"Oh, yes. She used to be Lady Cecily Blandgate ... her father's the Earl
of Bucklersbury. She's a big female...."

"What do you mean? Fat?"

"No. Tall," said Ninian.

"Is she good-looking?"

"Yes, she is, and rather amusing, too, in a footling sort of way. She's
got a fearful appetite, and she thinks of herself all day long. I know
because she damn near ruined me over cream buns once."

"I suppose Gilbert was in love with her?..."

"I suppose so. He didn't tell me and I didn't ask, but he mooned about
with her and looked awfully sloppy when he passed her things. You know
what I mean. He'd hand her a plate of bread and butter, and look at her
as much as to say, 'This is really my heart I'm handing you!' I never
saw a chap look such an ass!"

"Has she been married very long?"

"Oh, a year or two. I don't know. I'm not very interested in her. Too
much of a female for my taste. Extremely entertaining in the evening and
the afternoon, but awfully boring in the morning!..."

"Sounds like sour grapes, Ninian!"

"Oh, I've been in love with her if that's what you mean. We all were,
even old Roger. In fact, I kissed her once ... or was it twice? She's
the sort of woman a chap does kiss somehow. I couldn't think of anything
else to do when I was with her. That's why she's so dull. She splashes
her sex about as if she were distributing handbills. I'm surprised that
you don't know her. She's a very well-known female...."

"I've been in Ireland, Ninian...."

"So you have. I'd forgotten that. Of course, if you will live in a place
like that, you can't expect to be familiar with the wonders of
civilisation. Ever see the _Daily Reflexion_?"

"Oh, yes, we get that in Ireland all right!"

"Do you, indeed! Well, praise God from Whom all blessings flow. If you
buy a copy of to-morrow's _Daily Reflexion_, you'll probably see her
photograph in it, or a paragraph about her. Roger says people pay to