y that you are wonderful, and
invite you to eat with them and motor with them and yacht with them. As
soon as that begins to happen, Ronnie, a lot of other things will come to
an end. Of course I've always known that you don't really care for me,
but as soon as the world knows it you are irrevocably damaged as a
plaything. That is the great secret that binds us together, the
knowledge that we have no real affection for one another. And this
afternoon every one will know that you are a great artist, and no great
artist was ever a great lover."

"I shan't be difficult to replace, anyway," said Ronnie, with what he
imagined was a becoming modesty; "there are lots of boys standing round
ready to be fed and flattered and put on an imaginary pedestal, most of
them more or less good-looking and well turned out and amusing to talk
to."

"Oh, I dare say I could find a successor for your vacated niche," said
Cicely lightly; "one thing I'm determined on though, he shan't be a
musician. It's so unsatisfactory to have to share a grand passion with a
grand piano. He shall be a delightful young barbarian who would think
Saint Saens was a Derby winner or a claret."

"Don't be in too much of a hurry to replace me," said Ronnie, who did not
care to have his successor too seriously discussed. "I may not score the
success you expect this afternoon."

"My dear boy, a minor crowned head from across the sea is coming to hear
you play, and that alone will count as a success with most of your
listeners. Also, I've secured a real Duchess for you, which is rather an
achievement in the London of to-day."

"An English Duchess?" asked Ronnie, who had early in life learned to
apply the Merchandise Marks Act to ducal titles.

"English, oh certainly, at least as far as the title goes; she was born
under the constellation of the Star-spangled Banner. I don't suppose the
Duke approves of her being here, lending her countenance to the fait
accompli, but when you've got republican blood in your veins a Kaiser is
quite as attractive a lodestar as a King, rather more so. And Canon
Mousepace is coming," continued Cicely, referring to a closely-written
list of guests; "the excellent von Tolb has been attending his church
lately, and the Canon is longing to meet her. She is just the sort of
person he adores. I fancy he sincerely realises how difficult it will be
for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and he tries to make up for
it by be