his most
ingratiating manner another of his two-edged compliments. "Your ladyship
is the model chatelaine. No happening in your household can escape your
knowledge. His lordship is greatly to be envied."

"Yet, you see," she cried, appealing to her husband, and even to
Hortensia, who sat apart, scarce heeding this trivial matter of which so
much was being made, "you see that he evades the point, avoids a direct
answer to the question that is raised."

"Since your ladyship perceives it, it were more merciful to spare my
invention the labor of fashioning further subterfuges. I am a sick man
still, and my wits are far from brisk." He took up the glass of wine
Leduc had poured for him.

The countess looked at him again through narrowing eyelids, the
playfulness all vanished. "You do yourself injustice, sir, as I am a
woman. Your wits want nothing more in briskness." She rose, and looked
down upon him engrossed in his broth. "For a dissembler, sir," she
pronounced upon him acidly, "I think it would be difficult to meet your
match."

He dropped his spoon into the bowl with a clatter. He looked up, the
very picture of amazement and consternation.

"A dissembler, I?" quoth he in earnest protest; then laughed and quoted,
adapting,

"'Tis not my talent to conceal my thoughts
Or carry smiles and sunshine in my face
Should discontent sit heavy at my heart."

She looked him over, pursing her lips. "I've often thought you might
have been a player," said she contemptuously.

"I'faith," he laughed, "I'd sooner play than toil."

"Ay; but you make a toil of play, sir."

"Compassionate me, ma'am," he implored in the best of humors. "I am but
a sick man. Your ladyship's too keen for me."

She moved across to the exit without answering him. "Come, child," she
said to Hortensia. "We are tiring Mr. Caryll, I fear. Let us leave him
to his letter, ere it sets his pocket afire."

Hortensia rose. Loath though she might be to depart, there was no reason
she could urge for lingering.

"Is not your lordship coming?" said she.

"Of course he is," her ladyship commanded. "I need to speak with you yet
concerning Rotherby," she informed him.

"Hem!" His lordship coughed. Plainly he was not at his ease. "I will
follow soon. Do not stay for me. I have a word to say to Mr. Caryll."

"Will it not keep? What can you have to say to him that is so pressing?"

"But a word--no more."

"Why, then, we'll stay for you