You did not make him welcome: as far as I recollect you did not greet him by a word or nod.

If he had given the smallest provocation or attempted to take the lead in any way, I should not have given twopence for the chance of your keeping your temper.

And Wilde, even in his ruin--which, however, he did not yet fully realize--kept his air of authority on questions of taste and conduct.

It was practically impossible under such circumstances that Douglas should have taken the stage in any way.

Everyone thought him a horrid little brat; but I, not having met him before to my knowledge, and having some sort of flair for his literary talent, was curious to hear what he had to say for himself.