'But I will not despair.

Honest and unornamental is still my choice.' And I must say he looked extremely handsome and very amusingly like the marble statue with its nose in the air to which I had compared him.
'I cannot imagine how we got upon this subject,' said Flora.
'Madame, it was through the war,' replied Chevenix.
'All roads lead to Rome,' I commented.

'What else would you expect Mr.
Chevenix and myself to talk of ?' About this time I was conscious of a certain bustle and movement in the room behind me, but did not pay to it that degree of attention which perhaps would have been wise.

There came a certain change in Flora's face; she signalled repeatedly with her fan; her eyes appealed to me obsequiously; there could be no doubt that she wanted something--as well as I could make out, that I should go away and leave the field clear for my rival, which I had not the least idea of doing.

At last she rose from her chair with impatience.
'I think it time you were saying good-night, Mr Ducie!' she said.
I could not in the least see why, and said so.
Whereupon she gave me this appalling answer, 'My aunt is coming out of the card-room.' In less time than it takes to tell, I had made my bow and my escape.
Looking back from the doorway, I was privileged to see, for a moment, the august profile and gold eyeglasses of Miss Gilchrist issuing from the card-room; and the sight lent me wings.