But, undeterred by his behaviour, I sat down beside him and called for wine.
He nodded sulkily in answer to my greeting, and cast a half-shamed, half-angry look at me out of the corners of his eyes.

'You need not look at me as though I were a dog,' he muttered presently.

'You are not so very spruce yourself, my friend.

But I suppose you have grown proud since you got that fat appointment at Court!' And he laughed out loud, so that I confess I was in two minds whether I should not force the jest down his ugly throat.
However I restrained myself, though my cheeks burned.

'You have heard about it, then,' I said, striving to speak indifferently.
'Who has not ?' he said, laughing with his lips, though his eyes were far from merry.