‘And this is Lord Cadurcis!’ continued the lady.  ’The sublime, ethereal Lord Cadurcis, condescending to the last refuge of the meanest, most commonplace mind, a vulgar, wretched lie!  What could have been expected from such a mind?  You may delude the world, but I know you.  Yes, sir!  I know you.  And I will let everybody know you.  I will tear away the veil of charlatanism with which you have enveloped yourself.  The world shall at length discover the nature of the idol they have worshipped.  All your meanness, all your falsehood, all your selfishness, all your baseness, shall be revealed.  I may be spurned, but at any rate I will be revenged!’

Lord Cadurcis yawned.

‘Insulting, pitiful wretch!’ continued the lady.  ’And you think that I wish to hear you speak!  You think the sound of that deceitful voice has any charm for me!  You are mistaken, sir!  I have listened to you too long.  It was not to remonstrate with you that I resolved to see you.  The tones of your voice can only excite my disgust.  I am here to speak myself; to express to you the contempt, the detestation, the aversion, the scorn, the hatred, which I entertain for you!’

Lord Cadurcis whistled.

The lady paused; she had effected the professed purport of her visit; she ought now to have retired, and Cadurcis would most willingly have opened the door for her, and bowed her out of his apartment.  But her conduct did not exactly accord with her speech.  She intimated no intention of moving.  Her courteous friend retained his position, and adhered to his policy of silence.  There was a dead pause, and then Lady Monteagle, throwing herself into a chair, went into hysterics.

Lord Cadurcis, following her example, also seated himself, took up a book, and began to read.

The hysterics became fainter and fainter; they experienced all those gradations of convulsive noise with which Lord Cadurcis was so well acquainted; at length they subsided into sobs and sighs.  Finally, there was again silence, now only disturbed by the sound of a page turned by Lord Cadurcis.

Suddenly the lady sprang from her seat, and firmly grasping the arm of Cadurcis, threw herself on her knees at his side.

‘Cadurcis!’ she exclaimed, in a tender tone, ‘do you love me?’

‘My dear Gertrude,’ said Lord Cadurcis, coolly, but rather regretting he had quitted his original and less assailable posture, ’you know I like quiet women.’

‘Cadurcis, forgive me!’ murmured the lady.  ’Pity me!  Think only how miserable I am!’

‘Your misery is of your own making,’ said Lord Cadurcis.  ’What occasion is there for any of these extraordinary proceedings?  I have told you a thousand times that I cannot endure scenes.  Female society is a relaxation to me; you convert it into torture.  I like to sail upon a summer sea; and you always will insist upon a white squall.’

‘But you have deserted me!’