hat?"

"Really, I'm afraid so."

"Then I may as well go back," said I, taking my hat.

At this moment there was a knock at the door.

"Although I can't oblige you with an order of admission," said
Rhadamanthus, very civilly, "perhaps it would amuse you to listen to a
case or two. There's no hurry, you know. You've got lots of time before
you."

"It will be an extremely interesting experience," said I, sitting down
again.

The door opened, and, as I expected (I don't know why, but it happens
like that in dreams), Dolly Mickleham came in. She did not seem to see
me. She bowed to Rhadamanthus, smiled, and took a chair immediately
opposite the table.

"Mickleham--Dorothea--Countess of--" she said.

"Formerly, I think, Dolly Foster?" asked Rhadamanthus.

"I don't see what that's got to do with it," said Dolly.

"The account runs on," he explained, and began to consult his big
book. Dolly leant back in her chair, slowly peeling off her gloves.
Rhadamanthus shut the book with a bang.

"It's not the least use," he said decisively. "It wouldn't be kind to
pretend that it was, Lady Mickleham."

"Dear, dear," said Dolly. "What's the matter?"

"Half the women in London have petitioned against you."

"Have they, really?" cried Dolly, to all appearance rather delighted.
"What do they say, Mr. Rhadamanthus? Is it in that book? Let me look."
And she held out her hand.

"The book's too heavy for you to hold," said he.

"I'll come round," said Dolly. So she went round and leant over his
shoulder and read the book.

"What's that scent you've got on?" asked Rhadamanthus.

"Bouquet du diable," said she. (I had never heard of the perfume
before.) "Isn't it sweet?"

"I haven't smelt it since I was a boy," sighed Rhadamanthus.

"Poor old thing," said Dolly. "I'm not going to read all this, you
know." And, with a somewhat contemptuous smile, she walked back to her
chair. "They ought to be ashamed of themselves," she added, as she sat
down. "It's just because I'm not a fright."

"Aren't you a fright?" asked Rhadamanthus. "Where are my spectacles?"

He put them on and looked at Dolly.

"I must go in, you know," said Dolly, smiling at Rhadamanthus. "My
husband has gone in!"

"I shouldn't have thought you'd consider that conclusive," said he, with
a touch of satire in his tone.

"Don't be horrid," said Dolly, pouting.

There was a pause. Rhadamanthus examined Dolly through his spectacles.

"This is a very painful