“I could scarcely say I know. I really could not put my finger upon it,” he said at last. “There was a general atmosphere of confusion, or so it seemed to me. We--we discussed marriage.” “I hope the old dear didn’t think you were proposing to her?” “Good heavens--oh, no! no! I don’t quite know what she thought.” (He lowered his eyes.) “But it wasn’t that.” “That’s a mercy at any rate!” Braybrooke still kept his eyes on the ground, but a dogged look came into his face, and he said, speaking more resolutely: “I’m afraid I alarmed dear Miss Cronin.” “How perfectly splendid!” said Miss Van Tuyn. “She is very fond of you.” “Much fonder of Bourget!” “I don’t think so,” he said, with emphasis. “She is so devoted to you that quite inadvertently I alarmed her. After all, we were--we were”--nobly he decided to take the dreadful plunge--“we were two elderly people talking together as elderly people will, I thought quite freely and frankly, and I ventured--do forgive me--to hint that a great many men must wish to marry you; young men suited to you, promising men, men with big futures before them, anxious for a brilliant and beautiful wife.” “That was very charming and solicitous of you,” said Miss Van Tuyn with a smile. “But I don’t know that they do!” “Do what?” said Braybrooke, almost losing his head, as he saw the vision in the distance, now cloaked and gloved, rustling in an evident preparation for something, which might be departure or might on the other hand be approach. She observed him with a definite surprise, which she seemed desirous of showing. “I was alluding to the promising men,” she said. “Which men?” asked Braybrooke, still hypnotized by the vision. “The men with big futures before them who you were kind enough to tell Fanny were longing to marry me.” “Oh, yes!” (With a great effort he pulled himself together.) “Those men to be sure!” The vision was now standing up and apparently disputing the bill, for it was evidently talking at great length to a man in livery, who had a slip of paper in his hand, and who occasionally pointed to it in a resentful manner and said something, whereupon the vision made negative gestures and there was much tossing and shaking of heads. Resolutely Braybrooke looked away. It was nothing to do with him even if the Ritz was trying to make an overcharge for plum cake. “I just hinted that there must be men who--but you understand?” Miss Van Tuyn smiled unembarrassed assent. “And then Miss Cronin”--he lowered his voice--“seemed thoroughly upset. I scarcely knew what she thought I meant, but whatever it was I had not meant it. That is certain. But the fact is she is so devoted to you that the mere fact of your some day doing what all lovely and charming women are asked to do and usually consent to do--but--but Miss Cronin seems to--I think she wants to say something to you.”