'Oh, don't tell me the horrible details! I think you might take a little interest in _me_. I thought of wearing a buttonhole. Though you may have forgotten it now, before I was a dull old married man, I was supposed to dress rather well, Edith.' 'I know you were.' 'I thought I'd wear a white carnation.' 'I should wear two--one each side. It would be more striking.' 'That's right! Make fun of me! I hope you'll be ready in time. They dine at eight, you know.' 'Bruce, you're not going to begin to dress yet, are you? It's only just four.' He pretended not to hear, and said peevishly-- 'I suppose they don't expect _us_ to ask _them_? I daresay it's well known we can't return all the hospitality we receive.' 'I daresay it is.' 'It's awful not having a valet,' said Bruce. 'But it would be more awful if we had,' said Edith. 'Where on earth could we put him--except in the bathroom?' 'I don't think you'll look you're best tonight,' he answered rather revengefully. 'Give me a chancel Wait till I've waved my hair!' He read the paper for a little while, occasionally reading aloud portions of it that she had already read, then complained that she took no interest in public events. 'What do you think Archie brought home today,' she said to change the subject, 'in his Noah's Ark? Two snails!' She laughed. 'Revolting! _I_ don't know where he gets his tastes from. Not from _my_ family, that I'm quite sure.' He yawned ostentatiously. 'I think I shall have a rest,' Bruce said presently. 'I had a very bad night last night. I scarcely slept at all.' 'Poor boy!' Edith said kindly. She was accustomed to the convention of Bruce's insomnia, and it would never have occurred to her to appear surprised when he said he hadn't closed his eyes, though she happened to know there was no cause for anxiety. If he woke up ten minutes before he was called, he thought he had been awake all night; if he didn't he saw symptoms of the sleeping sickness. She arranged cushions on the sofa and pulled the blinds down. A minute later he turned on the electric light and began to read again. Then he turned it out, pulled up the blinds, and called her back. 'I want to speak to you about my friend Raggett,' he said seriously. 'I've asked him to dinner here tomorrow. What shall we have?' 'Oh, Bruce! Let's wait and settle tomorrow.' 'You don't know Raggett, but I think you'll like him. I _think_ you will. In any case, there's no doubt Raggett's been remarkably decent to me. In fact, he's a very good sort.' 'Fancy!' said Edith. 'Why do you say fancy?' he asked irritably. 'I don't exactly know. I must say something. I'm sure he's nice if he's a friend of yours, dear.' 'He's a clever chap in his way. At least, when I say clever, I don't mean clever in the ordinary sense.' 'Oh, I see,' said Edith.