‘That has been very kind of you.  But mother has gone to church.’

‘I am very glad she has gone to church, because I wish to—­’

’Oh laws!  There’s a horse tumbled down in the street.  I heard it.’

‘He has got up again,’ said Dolly, looking leisurely out of the window.  ‘But as I was saying—­’

’I don’t think the water we Americans drink can be good.  It makes the women become ugly so young.’

‘You will never become ugly.’

She got up and curtsied him, and then, still standing, make him a speech.  ’Mr Longstaff, it would be absurd of me to pretend not to understand what you mean.  But I won’t have any more of it.  Whether you are making fun of me, or whether you are in earnest, it is just the same.’

‘Making fun of you!’

’It does not signify.  I don’t care which it is.  But I won’t have it.  There!’

’A gentleman should be allowed to express his feelings and to explain his position.’

’You have expressed and explained more than enough, and I won’t have any more.  If you will sit down and talk about something else, or else go away, there shall be an end of it;—­but if you go on, I will ring the bell again.  What can a man gain by going on when a girl has spoken as I have done?’ They were both at this time standing up, and he was now as angry as she was.

‘I’ve paid you the greatest compliment a man can pay a woman,’ he began.

’Very well.  If I remember rightly I thanked you for it yesterday.  If you wish it, I will thank you again today.  But it is a compliment which becomes very much the reverse if it be repeated too often.  You are sharp enough to understand that I have done everything in my power to save us both from this trouble.’

‘What makes you so fierce, Miss Boncassen?’

‘What makes you so foolish?’

‘I suppose it must be something peculiar to American ladies.’

’Just that;—­something peculiar to American ladies.  They don’t like;—­well; I don’t want to say anything more that can be called fierce.’

At this moment the door was again opened and Lord Silverbridge was announced.  ‘Halloa, Dolly, are you here?’

‘It seems that I am.’

‘And I am here too,’ said Miss Boncassen, smiling her prettiest.

‘None the worse for yesterday’s troubles, I hope?’

’A good deal the worse.  I have been explaining all that to Mr Longstaff who has been quite sympathetic with me about my things.’

‘A terrible pity that shower,’ said Dolly.

‘For you,’ said Silverbridge, ’because if I remember right, Miss Boncassen was walking with you;—­but I was rather glad of it.’

‘Lord Silverbridge!’

’I regarded it as a direct interposition of Providence, because you would not dance with me.’

‘Any news today, Silverbridge?’ asked Dolly.

’Nothing particular.  They say that Coalheaver can’t run for the Leger.’