I wonder why Thorne is not here?
I'm sure he was asked." "Perhaps he did not particularly wish to meet Finnie and Bolus.

Do you know, Mr Athill, I think he was quite right not to come.

As for myself, I wish I was anywhere else." "Ha! ha! ha! You don't know the duke's ways yet; and what's more, you're young, you happy fellow! But Thorne should have more sense; he ought to show himself here." The gormandizing was now going on at a tremendous rate.

Though the volubility of their tongues had been for a while stopped by the first shock of the duke's presence, the guests seemed to feel no such constraint upon their teeth.

They fed, one may almost say, rabidly, and gave their orders to the servants in an eager manner; much more impressive than that usual at smaller parties.