urtain: "It is! like--cats and dogs!"

Campbell: "Oh no! You can't say that! It only rains that way. I was
going to say it myself, but I stopped in time."

Mrs. Somers, standing before the window with clasped hands: "No matter!
There will simply be nobody but bores. _They_ come in any sort of
weather."

Campbell: "Thank you, Mrs. Somers. I'm glad I ventured out."

Mrs. Somers, turning about: "What?" Then realizing the situation: "Oh,
_poor_ Mr. Campbell!"

Campbell: "Oh, don't mind _me_! I can stand it if you can. I belong to a
sex, thank you, that doesn't pretend to have any tact. I would just as
soon tell a man he was a bore as not. But I thought it might worry a
lady, perhaps."

Mrs. Somers: "Worry? I'm simply aghast at it. Did you ever hear of
anything worse?"

Campbell: "Well, not much worse."

Mrs. Somers: "What can I do to make you forget it?"

Campbell: "I can't think of anything. It seems to me that I shall always
remember it as the most fortunate speech a lady ever made to me--and
they have said some flattering things to me in my time."

Mrs. Somers: "Oh, don't be entirely heartless. Wouldn't a cup of tea
blot it out? With a Peak & Frean?" She advances beseechingly upon him.
"Come, I will give you a cup at once."

Campbell: "No, thank you; I would rather have it with the rest of the
bores. They'll be sure to come."

Mrs. Somers, resuming her seat on the sofa: "You are implacable. And I
thought you said you were generous."

Campbell: "No; merely magnanimous. I can't forget your cruel frankness;
but I know _you_ can, and I ask you to do it." He throws himself back in
his chair with a sigh. "And who knows? Perhaps you were right."

Mrs. Somers: "About what?"

Campbell: "My being a bore."

Mrs. Somers: "I should think _you_ would know."

Campbell: "No; that's the difficulty. Nobody would be a bore if he knew
it."

Mrs. Somers: "Oh, _some_ would, I think."

Campbell: "Do you mean me?"

Mrs. Somers: "Well, no, then. I don't believe you would be a bore, if
you knew it. Is that enough? or do you expect me to say something
more?"

Campbell: "No, it's quite enough, thank you." He remains pensively
silent.

Mrs. Somers, after waiting for him to speak: "Bores for bores, don't you
hate the silent ones most?"

Campbell, desperately rousing himself: "Mrs. Somers, if you only knew
how disagreeable I was going to make myself just before I concluded to
hold my tongue!"

Mrs. Somers: "Really? Wh