contented and happy if you would let us alone."

"One cannot but deplore the change," said Lady Lambourne.

"Personally, I am delighted with everything as it is," cooed Babykins.
"Life must be much pleasanter now than in your day, dear Lady
Lambourne; such a fuss and pretending, and such hypocrites you must
all have been--as, of course, human nature was the same then, and
since the beginning of time. We have always eaten and drank too rich
food and wine in our class and have not had enough to do, so we can't
help being as we are, can we?"

"Babykins, you silly darling, as if what we eat makes any difference!"
said Lady Grenellen, puffing her cigarette-smoke into cloudy rings in
the neatest way.

"Of course it does, Cordelia! Food makes all the difference, you know.
I have kept those white pigs for four years and I know all about it."

Babykins has the most pathetic blue eyes, and her childish voice is
arresting. Lady Grenellen went into a fit of laughter.

"You are perfectly mad about those horrid pigs!" she told her.

Lady Lambourne interrupted again, in a dignified voice. "Human nature
was _not_ the same in my day--as you call it--Mrs. Parton-Mills" (thus
she discovered to me Babykins' name). "We lived much more simply, and
enjoyed our pleasures and did our duties, and stayed at home more."

"And I expect you were frightfully bored, Letitia, darling," said Lady
Grenellen, "and that is why you never stay at home now."

It seemed to me quite wonderful how they could be so disrespectful to
this elderly lady, but she did not seem at all offended.

"You are incorrigible, Cordelia," was all she said, and she laughed.

"You had no bridge, and it must have been exactly like it still is
when I stay with Edward's relations in Scotland," Babykins continued.
"As we arrive there I feel 'goose-flesh' on my arms, with the
stiffness and decorum of everything. We chat about the weather at tea,
and no one ever says a word they really think; and we play idiotic,
childish games of cards for love in the evening; and it is all feeble
and wearisome, and the guests are always looking at the clock."

Lady Tilchester came and joined us; it seemed a breath of fresh
sunlight illuminating the scene.

"You appear all to be talking scandal," she said.

Imperceptibly the conversation changed, and we were discussing the war
news when the double doors of the dining-room opened.

Augustus looked very flushed in the face and unattractive