. "Madame gave me some dinner at
the Opera House."

"Of course," said Berry.

"What did I say? We grovelling worms can gnaw our sandwiches the while
he cracks bottles of--champagne, was it?"

I nodded.

Berry rose to his feet, and in a voice broken with emotion, called such
shades of his ancestors "as are on night duty" to witness.
"Hencefifth," he said, "I intend to lead a wicked life."

"Blackpool-Conservative; no change," said Jonah.

Berry ignored the interruption. "Virtue may have its own cakes and
ale. I dare say it has. What of it? I never see any of them. Vice
is more generous. Its patrons actually wallow in champagne. For me,
the most beastly sandwiches I ever ate, and an expensive stall. For
him, dinner with the prima donna and the Royal box. By the way, who
did the girl mistake you for? One of the attendants or the business
manager?"

"Who was she?" said Jill.

"I don't know."

"Rot!" said Jonah.

"It's the truth."

"She looked rather a dear," said Daphne.

"She is. You'll meet her to-morrow. And Berry--she wants to meet
Berry. She said so."

"There you are," said my brother-in-law. "Is my tie straight?"

I lighted a cigarette to conceal a smile.

CHAPTER XIV

A PRIVATE VIEW

When I had adjusted the cushions, I sank into the chair and sighed.

"What's that for?" said Daphne

"Sin," said I.

"Whose?"

"That of him who packed for me at the Blahs this morning. A sin of
omission rather than commission, though he did put my sponge-bag into
my collarcase," I added musingly. "They're both round, you see.
Still, I pass that by."

"But what do you really complain of?" said Jill. "He's left my
dressing-gown out."

"I expect he thought it was a loose cover," said Jonah. "It'll be sent
on all right," said Daphne "That's nothing. What about my fan?
You're not a bit sorry for me about that."

"I have already been sorry about it. I was sorry for you on Friday
just by the sideboard. I remember it perfectly. All the same, if you
will waste Berry's substance at places of entertainment in the West
End, and then fling a priceless heirloom down in the hall of the
theatre, you mustn't be surprised if some flat-footed seeker after
pleasure treads on it."

"He was a very nice man, and his feet weren't a bit flat."

"I believe you did it on purpose to get into conversation with him.
Where's Berry?"

At that moment the gentleman in question walked across the lawn t