tinctively
that no man born of woman would in the circumstances renounce such a
magnificent opportunity of "getting back." Nobody, however, was
apparently prepared for so vigorous and dramatic an appreciation of the
dainty.

For the space of two seconds the _chef_ held it cupped in his mouth.
Then with an expression of deadly loathing, intensified by a horrible
squint, he expelled the liquid on to the kitchen floor. Ignoring the
gasp which greeted his action, he was observed to shrug his shoulders.

"I veep my eyes," he announced, "for ze pore pig."

Here the steady flood of the butler's narrative became excusably broken
into the incoherence of rapids and the decent reticence of disappearing
falls. Beyond the fact that Mrs. Chapel had swung twice to the jaw, and
that Camille had replied with an ineffectual kick before they were
dragged screaming apart, few details of the state of pandemonium that
ensued came to our ears. I imagine that a striking _tableau vivant_
somewhat on the lines of Meissonier's famous painting was unconsciously
improvised. That three maids hardly restrained Mrs. Chapel, that the
footman who sought to withhold Camille was bitten for his pains by the
now ravening Frenchman, that the latter was only saved from the
commission of a still more aggravated assault by the timely arrival of
the butler, that Nobby, attracted by the uproar, contributed to the
confusion first by barking like a demoniac and then by inflicting a
punctured wound upon the calf of the alien's leg, we learned more by
inference and deduction than by direct report. That our impending meal
would be more than usually unappetizing was never suggested. That was
surmise upon our part, pure and simple. The conviction, however, was so
strong that the repast was cancelled out of hand.

Mrs. Chapel was dismissed and straitly charged never to return. Camille
was placed in the custody of the chauffeur and escorted to the latter's
rooms above the garage, to be returned to France upon the following
morning. Nobby was commended for his discrimination. Jonah was reviled.

All this, however, took time. The respective dismissal and disposal of
the combatants were not completed until long past eight, and it was
almost nine before we sat down to dinner.

"I think," said Daphne faintly, "I should like some champagne."

Berry ordered the wine.

It was abnormally hot, and the doors that were usually closed were set
wide open.

From the street fa