"And a minute ago, Mater," said Clarence, "you accused her of being mean!" "Well," she replied, "and what are these things, when all is said, to the riches we've surrendered to her? A mere trifle--which she'll never even miss!" "You're forgetting they were hers--not ours--all the time. And we've left her precious little gold to go on with. It makes me sick to hear you running her down, when, when ... well, anyhow, Mater, I'll be glad if you won't--in _my_ hearing!" "There's no occasion to use that tone to _me_, Clarence. I have my own opinion of Miss Heritage, and I am not likely to alter it now. But if you choose to keep your illusions about her, _I_ shall say nothing to disturb them." "You may be very clever, Clarence," said Edna, "I know you _think_ you are, but there's _one_ subject at all events you're hopelessly ignorant about--and that's _Women_!" "I don't mind owning it," he retorted. "I'd have taken my oath once that a highly superior cultivated English girl like you could never have cottoned to any Johnny in the Ogre line of business. But you've shown me my mistake!" Edna, who was scarlet with wrath, would no doubt have made an obvious rejoinder had not a diversion been caused by the caretaker, who appeared with that morning's _Daily Mail_. "Ah, so you managed to get a paper?" cried Clarence. "Good!" and he took it from her hands and opened it. "I say," he announced as soon as they were alone, "we haven't been away so long as we thought. We're still in 1914. Saturday, twenty-fifth of July." "Is that all?" said his mother. "But I remember now that tiresome old Court Godmother saying that Time went quicker in Maerchenland than it does here. I don't understand how--but there's evidently _some_ difference. The twenty-fifth of July? Dear me, the Pageant must be over and done with long ago! Not of course that I should have cared to take part in it _now_!" "Well, my boy," said Mr. Stimpson as Clarence ran through the columns of the paper, "and what's the latest news?" "First defeat of Middlesex," replied Clarence; "Surrey's at the head of the table now for the Championship! Fine batting by Gloucester at Nottingham yesterday--319 to Notts 299 first innings, and 75 for three wickets!" "Capital!" said his father without enthusiasm, "and what about Politics? Got Home Rule yet?" "I'll tell you in a minute.... Looks as if they hadn't. Breakdown of Home Rule Conference at Buckingham Palace. Wonder what the Government will do _now_." "They've only to be firm," said Mr. Stimpson, in his character as ex-autocrat. "If Ulster chooses to resent the will of the People as expressed in the last General Election, well, she must be put down, or what's our Army _for_, I should like to know. Any other news?"