Whether he was sulky, or whether he was bashful, after his discomfiture in the rose-garden, I can't say.

He kept all his talk for the private ear of the lady (a member of our family) who sat next to him.

She was one of his committee-women--a spiritually-minded person, with a fine show of collar-bone and a pretty taste in champagne; liked it dry, you understand, and plenty of it.
Being close behind these two at the sideboard, I can testify, from what I heard pass between them, that the company lost a good deal of very improving conversation, which I caught up while drawing the corks, and carving the mutton, and so forth.

What they said about their Charities I didn't hear.

When I had time to listen to them, they had got a long way beyond their women to be confined, and their women to be rescued, and were disputing on serious subjects.