Gaol,' and even that's not true. That's really
why I dislike his work. It isn't true, any of it. It's all lies...."

"How awfully interesting!"

"Do you know 'The Ballad of Reading Gaol'? he asked.

"No.... Oh, yes! I have read it. Of course, I have. Somebody lent it to
me or I bought it or something.... Anyhow, I have read it, but I can't
remember...."

"Do you remember the lines?...

_For all men kill the thing they love,
But all men do not die."_

"I seem to remember something ..." she said vaguely.

"Well, that's a lie. All men don't kill the thing they love. Wilde
couldn't help lying even when he was most sincere!"

"That's awfully interesting," Lady Cecily said. "Do you know I've never
thought of that before. Won't you come and see me one afternoon, Mr.
Quinn?"

"I should like to," he said, and as he spoke, the door of the box opened
and Gilbert entered, followed by Lord Jasper.

Lady Cecily turned eagerly to Gilbert. "Oh, Gilbert," she said, "Mr.
Quinn promised to come and see me one afternoon. You'll bring him, won't
you? Come on Wednesday, both of you!"

"I should like to," Henry murmured again.

"I don't think I can come on Wednesday," Gilbert said.

"Oh, yes, you can," Lady Cecily exclaimed, "and if you can't, you can
come some other day. You'll come, Mr. Quinn, won't you?"

"Yes, Lady Cecily!..."

"And.... Jimphy, dear, do be nice and ask them to come to supper with us
after the play. We're going to the Savoy afterwards. I thought it would
please Jimphy to go there because he'd be sure not to like the play...."

"Yes, you come along, you chaps!" Jimphy said, willingly.

"I can't. I'm sorry," Gilbert replied. "I've got to go down to Fleet
Street and write a notice of this play!"

"Can't you put it off for once, Gilbert!" Lady Cecily said.

Gilbert laughed. "I should like to see Dilton's face if I were to do
that...."

"Dilton! Dilton!! Who is Dilton?" she demanded.

"My editor. Very devoted to the human note, Dilton is. No, Cecily, I'm
sorry, but I must go down to Fleet Street. Henry can go with you."

She paused for a moment, and then said, "How long will it take you to
write the notice of the play?" she asked, adding before he could answer,
"Can't you do it now?"

"Yes, Gilbert," Henry said, "you can do it now. You know the play, and
you've seen the acting in two acts...."

Gilbert looked at him very directly, and when he spoke, his voice was
very firm. "No," he said, "I m