Miss Boncassen was rather disgusted.  She had had enough of this English lover.  Why should he have come here after what had occurred yesterday?  He ought to have felt that he was absolved from the necessity of making personal inquiries.  ’I am glad to see that you got home safe,’ she said as she gave him her hand.

‘And you too, I hope?’

’Well;—­so, so; with my clothes a good deal damaged and my temper rather worse.

‘I am so sorry.’

‘It should not rain on such days.  Mother has gone to church.’

‘Oh;—­indeed.  I like going to church myself sometimes.’

‘Do you now?’

‘I know what would make me like to go to church.’

’And father is at the Athenaeum.  He goes there to do a little light reading in the library on Sunday afternoon.’

‘I shall never forget yesterday, Miss Boncassen.’

‘You wouldn’t if your clothes had been spoilt as mine were.’

‘Money will repair that.’

’Well; yes; but when I’ve had a petticoat flounced particularly to order I don’t like to see it ill-used.  There are emotions of the heart which money can’t touch.’

‘Just so;—­emotions of the heart.  That’s the very phrase.’

She was determined if possible to prevent a repetition of the scene which had taken place up at Mrs de Bever’s temple.  ’All my emotions are about my dress.’

‘All?’

’Well; yes; all.  I guess I don’t care much for eating and drinking.’  In saying this she actually contrived to produce something of a nasal twang.

‘Eating and drinking!’ said Dolly.  ’Of course they are necessities;—­and so are clothes.’

‘But new things are such ducks!’

‘Trousers may be,’ said Dolly.

Then she took a prolonged gaze at him, wondering whether he was or was not such a fool as he looked.  ‘How funny you are,’ she said.

’A man does not generally feel funny after going through what I suffered yesterday, Miss Boncassen.’

‘Would you mind ringing the bell?’

‘Must it be done, quite at once?’

‘Quite,—­quite,’ she said.  ’I can do it myself for the matter of that.’ and she rang the bell somewhat violently.  Dolly sank back again into his seat, remarking in his usual apathetic way that he had intended to obey her behest but had not understood that she was in so great a hurry.  ‘I am always in a hurry,’ she said.  ’I like things to be done—­sharp.’  And she hit the table with a crack.  ‘Please bring me some iced water,’ this of course was addressed to the waiter.  ‘And a glass for Mr Longstaff.’

‘None for me, thank you.’

‘Perhaps you’d like a soda and brandy?’

’Oh dear no;—­nothing of the kind.  But I am much obliged to you all the same.’  As the water-bottle was in fact standing in the room, and as the waiter had only to hand the glass all this created by little obstacle.  Still it had its effect, and Dolly, when the man retired, felt that there was a difficulty in proceeding.  ’I have called today—­’ he began.