'It seemed distant as El Dorado, and as desirable.' Mallinson responded with the gentle smile with which a man recognises and pities a childishness he has himself outgrown.
Drake ordered port, having great faith in its qualities, as inducive of a cat-like content and consequent good-fellowship.

Mallinson, however, never touched port; nothing but the lightest of French burgundies after dinner for him.

The party withdrew to the smoking-room.
'By the way, Drake,' asked Mallinson, 'have you anything to do to-night ?' 'No, why ?' 'I was asked to take you to a sort of party.' Conway looked up sharply in surprise.
'You were asked to take me!' exclaimed Drake.

'Who asked you ?' 'Oh, nobody whom you know.' He hesitated for a second, then added with studied carelessness, 'A Miss Le Mesurier.

Her mother's dead,' he explained, noticing the look of surprise on Drake's face, 'so she keeps house for her father.