My reply appealed to the guests as monstrous funny. It was some time ere the laughter subsided. My host seemed threatened with an attack of apoplexy. "My dear sir," said he, "I beg of you to remain, not as a source for our merriment, but as the chief guest of honor. I believe you have won that place." I turned to Miss Berkeley. "Do you bid me remain?" Silence. I placed my hand on the back of my chair, preparatory to sliding it from under me. She stayed me. "Do not go,"--softly. "I haven't had my revenge." I sat down. I was curious to learn what color this revenge was going to take. "Mr. Ainsworth, my compliments!"--raising my glass, being very careful not to touch the contents. "Bully!" cried my host, thumping the table with his fist. "James, a dozen bottles of '96. There's a gentleman,"--nodding to those nearest him; "you can tell 'em a mile off. A little shy of strangers," humorously falling into horse-talk, "but he's money coming down the home-stretch." Then everybody began to talk at once, and I knew that the dinner proper was on the way. "Aren't you just a little above such escapades as this?" I asked of the girl. "Do not make me any more uncomfortable than I am," she begged. "But having gone into it I had too much courage to back down." "The true courage would have been to give the house-party." "But men always insist upon your marrying them at house-parties." "I see I have much to learn,"--meekly. "And the men are right." "What an escape I have had!" "Meaning house-parties, or that I am a gentleman?" "If you had not been a gentleman! For, of course, you are, since my uncle has so dubbed you. If you had not been a gentleman!" "If you had not been a lady! If you had been a bunko-steerer! And I do not know that you are not one still. Do you believe me? I kept my hand on my wallet pocket nearly all the time." "I understood you to say that you were poor." "Oh, I mean that I am too poor to hunt for excitement in bizarre things." "Confess that you look upon me with a frank contempt!"--imperiously. "Never!" "That in your secret mind you write me down a silly fool." "Allow me to quote Dogberry--'Masters, remember that I am an ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass!' Thus, I may not call you a fool. Besides, it would be very impolite." "You neither eat nor drink. Why?" "I demand to retain some of my self-respect." She leaned on her elbows, her chin in her palms. She had wonderful eyes, and for as long a time as a minute these eyes impaled me on barbs of light. "You must think us a pack of fools." "Oh, indeed, no; only rich." "That is almost an epigram,"--warningly. "You will lead me to believe that you belong to smart society in some provincial town." "Heaven forfend!"--earnestly. "But speak all the thought. Nothing prevents truth from either of us to-night." "All of what thought?" "We are not fools, only rich."