He had not yet been definitely called upon by the entrance of the servant to offer his arm to Miss Demolines, when Crosbie walked across to him from the rug and addressed him.

‘Mr Eames,’ said he, ‘it is some time since we met.’  And he offered his hand to Johnny.

‘Yes, it is’ said Johnny, accepting the proffered salutation.  ’I don’t know exactly how long, but ever so long.’

‘I am very glad to have the opportunity of shaking hands with you,’ said Crosbie; and then he retired, as it had become his duty to wait with his arm ready for Mrs Dobbs Broughton.  Having married an earl’s daughter he was selected for that honour.  There was a barrister in the room, and Mrs Dobbs Broughton ought to have known better.  As she professed to be guided in such matters by the rules laid down by the recognised authorities, she ought to have been aware that a man takes no rank from his wife.  But she was entitled I think to merciful consideration for her error.  A woman situated as was Mrs Dobbs Broughton cannot altogether ignore these terrible rules.  She cannot let her guests draw lots for precedence.  She must select someone for the honour of her arm.  And amidst the intricacies of rank how is it possible for woman to learn and to remember everything?  If Providence would only send Mrs Dobbs Broughton a Peer for every dinner-party, the thing would go more easily; but what woman will tell me, off-hand, which should go out of a room first; a C.B., and Admiral of the Blue, the Dean of Barchester, or the Dean of Arches?  Who is to know who was everybody’s father?  How am I to remember that young Thompson’s progenitor was made a baronet and not a knight when he was Lord Mayor?  Perhaps Mrs Dobbs Broughton ought to have known that Mr Crosbie could have gained nothing by his wife’s rank, and the barrister may be considered to have been not immoderately severe when he simply spoke of her afterwards as the silliest and most ignorant old woman he had ever met in his life.  Eames with the lovely Miss Demolines on his arm was the last to move before the hostess.  Mr Dobbs Broughton had led the way energetically with old Lady Demolines.  There was no doubt about Lady Demolines—­as his wife had told him, because her title marked her.  Her husband had been a physician in Paris, and had been knighted in consequence of some benefit supposed to have been done to some French scion of royalty—­when such scions in France were royal and not imperial.  Lady Demolines’ rank was not much certainly; but it served to mark her, and was beneficial.

As he went downstairs Eames was still thinking of his meeting with Crosbie, and had as yet hardly said a word to his neighbour, and his neighbour had not said a word to him.  Now Johnny understood dinners quite well enough to know that in a party of twelve, among whom six are ladies, everything depends of your next neighbour, and generally on the next neighbour who specially belongs to you; and as he took his seat