I fell back on a second line of defense.

"I didn't let her catch me, Lady Mickleham," I pleaded.

Lady Mickleham grew quite red. This made me feel more at my ease.

"No, sir. If you had--"

"Goodness knows!" I murmured, shaking my head.

"As it happened, however, my son entered in the middle of this
disgraceful--"

"It was at the beginning," said I, with a regretful sigh.

Upon this--and I have really never been so pleased at anything in all my
life--the Countess, the violence of her emotions penetrating to her very
fingers, gripped the handle of her "starers" with such force that she
broke it in two! She was a woman of the world, and in a moment she
looked as if nothing had happened. With me it was different; and that
I am not now on Lady Mickleham's visiting list is due to (inter alia et
enormia) the fact that I laughed! It was out before I could help it. In
a second I was as grave as a mute. The mischief was done. The Countess
rose. I imitated her example.

"You are amused?" said she, and her tones banished the last of my mirth.
I stumbled on my hat and it rolled to her feet.

"It is not probable," she observed, "that after Miss Foster's marriage
you will meet her often. You will move in--er--somewhat different
circles."

"I may catch a glimpse of her in her carriage from the top of my 'bus,"
said I.

Lady Mickleham rang the bell. I stooped for my hat. To tell the truth,
I was rather afraid to expose myself in such a defenseless attitude, but
the Countess preserved her self control. The butler opened the door. I
bowed, and left the Countess regarding me through the maimed "starers."
Then I found the butler smiling. He probably knew the signs of the
weather. I wouldn't be Lady Mickleham's butler if you made me a duke.

As I walked home through the Park, I met Miss Dolly and Mickleham. They
stopped.

I walked on. Mickleham seized me by the coat tails.

"Do you mean to cut us?" he cried.

"Yes," said I.

"Why, what the deuce?--" he began.

"I've seen your mother," said I. "I wish, Mickleham, that when you do
happen to intrude as you did the other day, you wouldn't repeat what you
see."

"Lord!" he cried. "She's not heard of that. I only told Aunt Cynthia."

I said something about "Aunt Cynthia."

"Does--does she know it all?" asked Miss Dolly.

"More than all--much more."

"Didn't you smooth it over?" said Miss Dolly reproachfully.

"On reflection," said I, "I don't know that I did--much