Her glance swept slightingly over him.

“Certainly not!  Such a thing would be impossible!”

“Then you have never thought,” went on Villiers, with a thrill of earnestness in his manly, vibrating voice—­“that it might be quite as impossible to ‘interview’ a great Poet?—­who, if great indeed, is in every way as royal as any Sovereign that ever adorned a throne!  I do not speak of petty verse-writers,—­I say a great Poet, by which term I imply a great creative genius who is honestly faithful to his high vocation.  Such an one could no more tell you his methods of work than a rainbow could prattle about the way it shines,—­and as for his personal history, I should like to know by what right society is entitled to pry into the sacred matters of a man’s private life, simply because he happens to be famous?  I consider the modern love of prying and probing into other people’s affairs a most degrading and abominable sign of the times,—­it is morbid, unwholesome, and utterly contemptible.  Moreover, I think that writers who consent to be ‘interviewed’ condemn themselves as literary charlatans, unworthy of the profession they have wrongfully adopted.  You see I have the courage of my opinions on this matter,—­in fact, I believe, if every one were to speak their honest mind openly, a better state of things might be the result, and ‘interviewing’ would gradually come to be considered in its true light, namely, as a vulgar and illegitimate method of advertisement.  I mean no disrespect to you, madam,”—­this, as the lady suddenly put down her veil, thrust her note-book in her pocket, and rose somewhat bouncingly from her chair—­“I am only sorry you should find such an occupation as that of the ‘interviewer’ open to you.  I can scarcely imagine such work to be congenial to a lady’s feelings, as, in the case of really distinguished personages, she must assuredly meet with many a rebuff!  I hope I have not offended you by my bluntness, ... “—­ here he trailed off into inaudible polite murmurs, while the “Tiger-Lily” marched steadily toward the door.

“Oh dear, no, I am not in the least offended!” she retorted contemptuously,—­“On the contrary, this has been a most amusing experience!—­most amusing, I assure you! and quite unique!  Why—­” and suddenly stopping short, she turned smartly round and gesticulated with one hand ...  “I have interviewed all the favorite actors and actresses in London!  The biggest brewers in Great Britain have received me at their country mansions, and have given me all the particulars of their lives from earliest childhood!  The author of ‘Hugger Mugger’s Curse’ took the greatest pains to explain to me how he first collected the materials for his design.  The author of that most popular story, ’Darling’s Twins,’ gave me a description of all the houses he has ever lived in,—­he even told me where he purchased his writing-paper, pens, and ink!  And to think that a poet should be too grand to be interrogated!  Oh, the idea is really very funny! ... quite too funny for anything!  “She gave a short laugh,—­then relapsing into severity, she added ...  “You will, I hope, tell Mr. Alwyn I called?”