Campbell: "Um! Do you think you could have borne it? We might go out there." Mrs. Somers: "On second thoughts, no. I shall ring to have them turn up the gas." Campbell: "No; let me." He prevents her ringing, and going out into the space between the library and drawing-room, stands with his hand on the key of the gas-burner. "Now how do I look?" Mrs. Somers: "Beautiful." Campbell, turning up the gas: "And now?" Mrs. Somers: "Not _half_ so well. Decidedly pitch-darkness is becoming to you. Better turn it down again." Campbell, rejoining her in the drawing-room: "No; it isn't so becoming to you; and I'm not envious, whatever I am." Mrs. Somers: "You are generosity itself." Campbell: "If you come to phrases, I prefer magnanimity." Mrs. Somers: "Well, _say_ magnanimity. Won't you sit down--while you have the opportunity?" She sinks upon the sofa, and indicates with her fan an easy-chair at one end of it. Campbell, dropping into it: "Are there going to be so many?" Mrs. Somers: "You never can tell about five o'clock tea. There mayn't be more than half a dozen; there may be thirty or forty. But I wished to affect your imagination." Campbell: "You had better have tried it in some other kind of weather. It's snowing like--" Mrs. Somers, running to the window, and peeping out through the side of the curtain: "It is! like--cats and dogs!" Campbell: "Oh no! You can't say that! It only rains that way. I was going to say it myself, but I stopped in time." Mrs. Somers, standing before the window with clasped hands: "No matter! There will simply be nobody but bores. _They_ come in any sort of weather." Campbell: "Thank you, Mrs. Somers. I'm glad I ventured out." Mrs. Somers, turning about: "What?" Then realizing the situation: "Oh, _poor_ Mr. Campbell!" Campbell: "Oh, don't mind _me_! I can stand it if you can. I belong to a sex, thank you, that doesn't pretend to have any tact. I would just as soon tell a man he was a bore as not. But I thought it might worry a lady, perhaps." Mrs. Somers: "Worry? I'm simply aghast at it. Did you ever hear of anything worse?" Campbell: "Well, not much worse." Mrs. Somers: "What can I do to make you forget it?" Campbell: "I can't think of anything. It seems to me that I shall always remember it as the most fortunate speech a lady ever made to me--and they have said some flattering things to me in my time." Mrs. Somers: "Oh, don't be entirely heartless. Wouldn't a cup of tea blot it out? With a Peak & Frean?" She advances beseechingly upon him. "Come, I will give you a cup at once." Campbell: "No, thank you; I would rather have it with the rest of the bores. They'll be sure to come." Mrs. Somers, resuming her seat on the sofa: "You are implacable. And I thought you said you were generous." Campbell: "No; merely magnanimous. I can't forget your cruel frankness; but I know _you_ can, and I ask you to do it." He throws himself back in his chair with a sigh. "And who knows? Perhaps you were right."