As likely as not, I tell myself, the following is the conversation that has taken place between my host and hostess the day before my arrival: "Don't forget that man J--- is coming down to-morrow." "To-morrow! I wish you would tell me of these things a little earlier." "I did tell you--told you last week.

Your memory gets worse every day." "You certainly never told me, or I should have remembered it.

Is he anybody important ?" "Oh, no; writes books." "What sort of books ?--I mean, is he quite respectable ?" "Of course, or I should not have invited him.

These sort of people go everywhere nowadays.

By the by, have we got any of his books about the house ?" "I don't think so.