I shall be most happy if you will honor my table with your presence." The Colonel coughed, Maurice smoothed the back of his head, and Fitzgerald caught up his monocle.
"My word, Madame," said Maurice, "is not worth much, being that of a diplomat, but such as it is it is yours.

However, my clothes are scarcely presentable," which was true enough.

Several buttons were missing, and the collar hung by a thread.
"That can be easily remedied," said she.

"There are several new hussar uniforms in the armory." "O, Madame, and you will permit me to wear one of those gay uniforms of light blue and silver lace ?" The Colonel looked thoughtfully at Maurice.

He was too much a banterer himself to miss the undercurrent of raillery.