'You have water on the brain. Do you know where your peignoir is?' Somewhat to my mortification, he did know, and, as he threw it over his shoulders, remarked placidly, 'But really I'm not in the least cold. Men of my age have hearts, Campbell, and a heart on fire keeps the blood warm under all circumstances.' 'It takes a Bostonian to have a heart warranted to burn under water for an hour.' 'And then,' he continued without heeding me, 'did not a goddess keep the flame alive with her ambrosial breath?' 'Decidedly he must have had an adventure,' thought I. 'But despatch your toilet, young man, and then you shall _déjeuner_ with me, and we'll have chablis and cigarettes.' 'I shall be most happy, indeed. I won't be a moment dressing,' said the poet beamingly; and he dodged into his cabin. 'Pathetic little youth!' thought I as I paced the parade to and fro. 'Good fellow at bottom, but so soft!--the sort of creature that men trample on and women make game of. He has that most offensive of qualities--inoffensiveness. But, luckily for his peace of mind, he idolises himself, and is too slow-witted to comprehend the contempt of other people. After all, his self-conceit has as much justification as anybody's. He sees a pretty face when he looks in the glass, writes pretty verses with conscientious rhymes, utters pretty sentiments, and uses pretty phrases. How is he to know that the world reads all this prettiness without the _r_? But Providence, in emptying his skull, has mercifully filled his pockets. With ten thousand pounds a year he can buy something. What he can't buy is the ability to win for a wife such a woman as this young countess. Is he in love with her? He thinks so, no doubt, and means to make himself poetically miserable about her. His type of men are for ever losing their hearts miles above the reach of their heads. He has been getting off some inane namby-pambyism to her this morning, disgusting or amusing her as the case may be, and has come off serene in the conviction of having made a delightful impression. And now--confound him!--he will be for prosecuting the acquaintance and expecting me to back him up. What shall I do? It would be friendly to dissuade him from having anything more to say to them; but he's obstinate and won't be dissuaded. Well, the spectacle of such a wooing can't fail to be entertaining, and, since I can't prevent it, why shouldn't I enjoy it? To augment excitement I might give Mademoiselle Almara a quiet hint to tip him an occasional dose of encouragement. Poor Jeff! Ah! here he comes! Now let us watch him expand under the influence of chablis.' The unsuspecting poet took my arm, and we set out for my lodgings. 'How charming the Old World is,' he remarked presently. 'You are an American, and everything here delights you by contrast.' 'But I'm patriotic--very. I'm a descendant of the Puritans, and my forefathers fought on Bunker Hill.'