ch Mrs. HAWKSBEE had inspired them,
than they did of the violent dislike they had conceived for Mr. GRAY.

They were growing less and less able to control their actions, and I
was not sorry when the time arrived for the ladies to retire, which
they did rather earlier than they had intended doing, owing to a
sudden display of ill-temper on the part of DIANA of the Crossways.
They all withdrew, with the exception of the Princess, who, alleging
that it was a Russian custom, remained with us, smoking, and drinking
kuemmel out of a Samovar. Immediately upon the departure of the ladies,
ROBERT ELSMERE resumed his argument.

"I have not," he said, in a low tone, "rooted up the most sacred
growths of life as a careless child devastates his garden."

"I have never yet heard of a DURRISDEER who was a turn-coat or a spy,"
remarked the MASTER of BALLANTREE, casually.

"Ah! but that is another story," objected Colonel GADSBY, stroking his
long moustache.

"I can believe anything," said DORIAN GRAY, "as long as it is quite
incredible."

"Oh! Then you'd believe that story old BATT, the fisherman, told us
about the pike at Goring!" said one of the trio, with a contemptuous
laugh.

And here we come to the unfortunate incident which broke up our party.
I shall always blame the Princess for this. If she had gone to the
drawing-room with the other ladies, it would never have happened. It
appears that she considered herself insulted by a remark of DORIAN's,
which I thought innocent enough. I think it was, that "All Art is
quite useless."

Why she should have taken this so personally--whether she thought
he was alluding to her Narcissus-like complexion, or her wealth of
luminous hair--I cannot say. At any rate--though I would not have it
even whispered to poor little JIM, who, being far from well, had been
quite unable to leave his sofa,--I say, at any rate, I, for one, felt
convinced that the Princess had taken quite as much kuemmel as was good
for her, otherwise, how could any one, except my old friend ALICE DE
VONDERLAND account for her urging the Three Men, already far gone, to
go still farther, and to "Protect her honour," as she termed it, "by
wiping out the insult offered to the NAPRAXINES!"

The Three Men took the suggestion literally. A wild scene ensued.
Shouting wildly, "We'll spoil your beauty for you!" one tore the
flower out of DORIAN's coat, another threw the red copper bowl
of rose-water at his head, a third, with