“Yes, you must be wishing to get away,” she continued cruelly, picking up the newspaper.  “I had forgotten this notice.  When I saw it this morning I thought of you, and despaired of a glimpse of you to-day.” (Reading.) “At the Three Hats, Islington, this day, the 10th of May, will be played a grand match at that ancient and much renowned manly diversion called Double Stick by a sect of chosen young men at that exercise from different parts of the West Country, for two guineas given free; those who break the most heads to bear away the prize.  Before the above-mentioned diversion begins, Mr. Sampson and his young German will display alternately on one, two, and three horses, various surprising and curious feats of famous horsemanship in like manner as at the Grand Jubilee at Stratford-upon-Avon.  Admittance one shilling each person.’  Before you leave, Mr. Richard,” she continued, with her eyes still on the sheet, “I should like to talk over one or two little matters.”

“Dolly—!”

“Will you sit, sir?”

I sat down uneasily, expecting the worst.  She disappointed me, as usual.

“What an unspeakable place must you keep in Dover Street!  I cannot send even a footman there but what he comes back reeling.”

I had to laugh at this.  But there was no smile out of my lady.

“It took me near an hour and a half to answer your note,” I replied.

“And ’twas a masterpiece!” exclaimed Dolly, with withering sarcasm; “oh, a most amazing masterpiece, I’ll be bound!  His worship the French Ambassador is a kitten at diplomacy beside you, sir.  An hour and a half, did you say, sir?  Gemini, the Secretary of State and his whole corps could not have composed the like in a day.”

“Faith!” I cried, with feeling enough; “and if that is diplomacy, I would rather make leather breeches than be given an embassy.”

She fixed her eyes upon me so disconcertingly that mine fell.

“There was a time,” she said, with a change of tone, “there was a time when a request of mine, and it were not granted outright, would have received some attention.  This is my first experience at being ignored.”

“I had made a wager,” said I, “and could not retract with honour.”

“So you had made a wager!  Now we are to have some news at last.  How stupid of you, Richard, not to tell me before.  I confess I wonder what these wits find in your company.  Here am I who have seen naught but dull women for a fortnight, and you have failed to say anything amusing in a quarter of an hour.  Let us hear about the wager.”

“Where is little to tell,” I answered shortly, considerably piqued.  “I bet your friend, the Duke of Chartersea, some hundreds of pounds I could ride Lord Baltimore’s Pollux for twenty minutes, after which his Grace was to get on and ride twenty more.”

“Where did you see the duke?” Dolly interrupted, without much show of interest.