George conceded. "Most people are cold-blooded asses."

"Very likely the explanation lies in that fact," said I.

"I didn't mean you, old chap," said George, with a penitence which
showed that he had meant me.

"Oh, all right, all right," said I.

"But when a man's really far gone there's nothing else in the world but
it."

"That seems to me not to be a healthy condition," said I.

"Healthy? Oh, you old idiot, Sam! Who's talking of health? Now, only
last night I met her at a dance. I had five dances with her--talked to
her half the evening, in fact. Well, you'd think that would last some
time, wouldn't you?"

"I should certainly have supposed so," I assented.

"So it would with most chaps, I dare say, but with me--confound it, I
feel as if I hadn't seen her for six months!"

"But, my dear George, that's surely rather absurd? As you tell me, you
spent a long while with the young person--"

"The--young person!"

"You've not told me her name, you see."

"No, and I shan't. I wonder if she'll be at the Musgraves' tonight!"

"You're sure," said I soothingly, "to meet her somewhere in the course
of the next few weeks."

George looked at me. Then he observed with a bitter laugh:

"It's pretty evident you've never had it. You're as bad as those chaps
who write books."

"Well, but surely they often describe with sufficient warmth
and--er--color--"

"Oh, I dare say; but it's all wrong. At least, it's not what I feel.
Then look at the girls in books! All beasts!"

George spoke with much vehemence; so that I was led to say:

"The lady you are preoccupied with is, I suppose, handsome?"

George turned swiftly round on me.

"Look here, can you hold your tongue, Sam?"

I nodded.

"Then I'm hanged if I won't point her out to you?"

"That's uncommon good of you, George," said I.

"Then you'll see," continued George. "But it's not only her looks, you
know, she's the most--"

He stopped. Looking round to see why, I observed that his face was red;
he clutched his walking stick tightly in his left hand; his right hand
was trembling, as if it wanted to jump up to his hat. "Here she comes!
Look, look!" he whispered.

Directing my eyes towards the lines of carriages which rolled past us,
I observed a girl in a victoria; by her side sat a portly lady of middle
age. The girl was decidedly like the lady; a description of the lady
would not, I imagine, be interesting. The girl blushed slightly and
bowed. George a