And laying her hand on Mr.
Bellingham's, she leaned down and spoke his name.

Instantly he awoke, as fresh as from a night's rest, for he had the Napoleonic faculty for catching naps.
"Winter awaking to greet the spring," he said without the slightest hesitation, as though he had prepared the little speech in his sleep.
"Forgive me," he said, "it is a habit of mine learned long ago." He presented his arm and asked her what was her pleasure.
"I am going home," she said, "and if you like I will drop you at your door." Mr.Bellingham glanced at a great enamelled clock, half-hidden among flowers and fans, as they passed, and he noticed that they had not been in the house much more than three quarters of an hour.

But he wisely said nothing, and waited patiently while Margaret was wrapped in her cloaks, and till the butler had told the footman, and the footman had told the other footman, and the other footman had told the page, and the page had told the policeman to call the Countess Margaret's carriage.
After which the carriage appeared, and they drove away.
Uncle Horace chatted pleasantly about the party, admitting that he had dreamed more than he had seen of it.

But Margaret said little, for the reaction was coming after the excitement she had passed through.

Only when they reached Mr.Bellingham's rooms, and he was about to leave her, she held his hand a moment and looked earnestly in his face.
"Mr.Bellingham," she said suddenly, "I trust you will always be my friend--will you not ?" The old gentleman paused in his descent from the carriage, and took the hand she offered.
"Indeed I will, my dear child," he said very seriously.