For a while the conversation consisted chiefly of anecdotes by Mr.Airlie.

There were few public men and women about whom he did not know something to their disadvantage.

Joan, listening, found herself repeating the experience of a night or two previous, when, during a performance of _Hamlet_, Niel Singleton, who was playing the grave-digger, had taken her behind the scenes.

Hamlet, the King of Denmark and the Ghost were sharing a bottle of champagne in the Ghost's dressing-room: it happened to be the Ghost's birthday.

On her return to the front of the house, her interest in the play was gone.