here is rather tremendous--the
size of a wall!"

"The size of a wall!" echoed the earl. "My gracious!"

"And now Mr. Wyndham has started a tiny one of me," put in Lady Betty.
"I'm going to stand to him an hour or two every morning, and we'll send
it to the Salon next month."

"Bless my soul! That'll be a very pretty little thing."

"It's only one side of me. Mr. Wyndham thinks I've so many sides, and he
selected just one of them."

"Mr. Wyndham's a genius, but, with all deference to him, I don't see
that you've any more sides to you than I have or Mr. Wyndham has. We
have each two sides and no more." He raised his tumbler of egg-and-milk
and whiskey, and drank deeply. The others laughed.

"Oh, Mr. Wyndham thinks I'm so many persons rolled into one," explained
Lady Betty, "and that you can take your choice."

"Many persons rolled into one! You are!" said the earl emphatically,
setting down his glass. "Only I never _can_ take my choice. If Mr.
Wyndham has succeeded in doing so, I offer him my congratulations. Oh,
by the way, talking of congratulations, it is true, I suppose, that you
are going to be married!"

Lady Betty looked down and manipulated her fish.

"One of these days," said Wyndham lightly. "There is no date fixed yet."

"Ah," said the earl. "How is your _fiancee_?"

"Perfectly well," said Wyndham. "First-rate."

"A Miss--er--Llewellyn--wasn't it?"

"Miss Robinson," corrected Wyndham.

"Oh, ah--Miss Robinson! Yes, yes, that was the name--perfectly!" said
the earl. "Mind you give her my compliments and respects.... By the way,
Betty, did I tell you I'm sick of the climate? We shall have thrown out
the Embankment Bill by the end of the week, and then I can turn my back
on the House. It'll be Egypt or a voyage to Japan--why, I might meet Mr.
Wyndham on his honeymoon!--eh?--what? I'll go across to Cockspur Street
this afternoon, and see what's sailing."

"Shall I come with you, father, and help you to make up your mind?"

"If you'll be so kind," said the earl. "It was my intention to suggest
that you should accompany me a great deal further than that, but I
changed my mind just now."

"That is very considerate of you, father."

"Not at all, not at all." The earl made a movement of deprecation. "You
couldn't come till the end of the month, so I simply make a virtue of
necessity."

"You horrify me, father. You are making Mr. Wyndham think you are sorry
I am standing to him."

"It's only my