consciousness, for
everything is becoming blurred--(jerky sentences while dancing) ...
"It's more difficult ... to steer when ... there are a few ... than
when ..." "Yes," says Miss Bella, who quite understands. (_Myself
tenderly._) "Do you ... like dancing?" ... "Yes," ... (_whirl round, up
and down_ ... then) ... "This dance?" ... What? ... (_whirl round just
to get the steam up again for the question, and put it sotto voce,
finding myself close to her ear--such a pretty little ear--made to be
whispered into_). "Do you like this dance?" ... "Very much." (_My heart
is fluttering nervously, like a stray bird under a skylight_) ... "With
anyone?" ... (_No answer ... My question means do you prefer ME to dance
with, and not only to dance with, but ..._)

The music ceases. Medford is tired. We all thank him.

Gong. Luncheon.

If it hadn't been for the gong ...

But at all events the wet morning is over.

[Illustration: "HOW DO YOU LIKE MY FIZZ"]

CHAPTER XI.

A NIGHT SURPRISE.

Boodels and Milburd knock at my door at 2.30 a.m., after I've been
asleep two hours, and wake me up to tell me that they had thought of a
Pleasure of Poverty: it was, Milburd said,

_To think that you can't be worse off, while you hope that
others may._

I say .. "_Oh_ ... don't bother--I mean--yes--capital ... go to ...
bed," and turning round, try to sleep again.

The Deputation thanks me and withdraws.

"What an idiotic thing to do," I say to myself .... "What a foolish
thing" .... getting more wakeful ... "What a cruel thing .... Hang it!
it's positively selfish ... it's" ... turning for the fifth time, and my
pillow becoming as hot as a blister ... "Confound Boodels ... and
Milburd ... it's all _his_ doing, I know" ... sitting up in bed.

It occurs to me that counting one hundred and forty backwards, and then
getting out and drinking a glass of water, is a capital way of inducing
sleep ...

Odd, but in Milburd and Boodels coming to rouse me at this time, I find
_a_ solution to the other question that we had occupied part of our
morning in discussing.

What circumstance justifies loss of patience?

Why, loss of sleep.

[Illustration: SOFT REPOSE.]

CHAPTER XII.

OUR LIBRARY--BUSTS--DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS--MELANCHOLY--GUESSES--
SOAMES--MRS. BOODELS AGAIN--MILBURD--HIS JOKE--A NUISANCE.

Of all the melancholy objects of Art Busts are the most