She broke out into a peal of laughter and glanced at her husband, whose admiring and happy eyes had been wandering from her dress to her face and hair.  The two aunts laughed heartily, too, for Gabriel’s solicitude was a standing joke with them.

“Goloshes!” said Mrs. Conroy.  “That’s the latest.  Whenever it’s wet underfoot I must put on my galoshes.  Tonight even, he wanted me to put them on, but I wouldn’t.  The next thing he’ll buy me will be a diving suit.”

Gabriel laughed nervously and patted his tie reassuringly, while Aunt Kate nearly doubled herself, so heartily did she enjoy the joke.  The smile soon faded from Aunt Julia’s face and her mirthless eyes were directed towards her nephew’s face.  After a pause she asked: 

“And what are goloshes, Gabriel?”

“Goloshes, Julia!” exclaimed her sister “Goodness me, don’t you know what goloshes are?  You wear them over your... over your boots, Gretta, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” said Mrs. Conroy.  “Guttapercha things.  We both have a pair now.  Gabriel says everyone wears them on the Continent.”

“O, on the Continent,” murmured Aunt Julia, nodding her head slowly.

Gabriel knitted his brows and said, as if he were slightly angered: 

“It’s nothing very wonderful, but Gretta thinks it very funny because she says the word reminds her of Christy Minstrels.”

“But tell me, Gabriel,” said Aunt Kate, with brisk tact.  “Of course, you’ve seen about the room.  Gretta was saying...”

“0, the room is all right,” replied Gabriel.  “I’ve taken one in the Gresham.”

“To be sure,” said Aunt Kate, “by far the best thing to do.  And the children, Gretta, you’re not anxious about them?”

“0, for one night,” said Mrs. Conroy.  “Besides, Bessie will look after them.”

“To be sure,” said Aunt Kate again.  “What a comfort it is to have a girl like that, one you can depend on!  There’s that Lily, I’m sure I don’t know what has come over her lately.  She’s not the girl she was at all.”

Gabriel was about to ask his aunt some questions on this point, but she broke off suddenly to gaze after her sister, who had wandered down the stairs and was craning her neck over the banisters.

“Now, I ask you,” she said almost testily, “where is Julia going?  Julia!  Julia!  Where are you going?”

Julia, who had gone half way down one flight, came back and announced blandly: 

“Here’s Freddy.”

At the same moment a clapping of hands and a final flourish of the pianist told that the waltz had ended.  The drawing-room door was opened from within and some couples came out.  Aunt Kate drew Gabriel aside hurriedly and whispered into his ear: 

“Slip down, Gabriel, like a good fellow and see if he’s all right, and don’t let him up if he’s screwed.  I’m sure he’s screwed.  I’m sure he is.”

Gabriel went to the stairs and listened over the banisters.  He could hear two persons talking in the pantry.  Then he recognised Freddy Malins’ laugh.  He went down the stairs noisily.