"Never better, Perry!" he laughed, clapping me lightly on the shoulder. "Get you to your guests. And by the by--talking of ghosts and grimly spectres--egad, Perry, I almost believe they do haunt this sorry world, sometimes!" So saying, he laughed, turned, and was gone, leaving me to stare after him in anxious wonderment. CHAPTER II INTRODUCING JASPER SHRIG, A BOW STREET RUNNER "Ham, Peregrine?" "Thank you, no, Anthony!" said I, shuddering slightly. "But where are the others? Asleep still?" "Gone, Perry. At sight of this ham Jerny shied like a wild colt, Devenham moaned, and together they tottered forth into the bleak world. Did you say ham, Perry?" "I--did--not!" "Beef then--beef looks excellent! Beef?" "Horrible!" I exclaimed, turning my back on the breakfast table. "Eat if you can, Tony, but talk you must and shall." "Of last night, Peregrine?" "Of Diana. I've scarcely had a word with you since your arrival." "Which was last night." "How is she, Anthony? Is she indeed handsomer--lovelier? Did she seem happy? Did she talk about--did she--happen to mention--" "She did, Perry, talked of you frequently, very much so! Won't you try a cup of coffee and a crust--" "Tell me how--where you first met her." "It was at the ambassador's ball and mark you, Perry, there were some uncommonly fine women there, though none of 'em, no, damme, not one to compare with my Loveliness, of course--" "You mean Barbara?" "Of course. Well, my boy, we'd made our bow and here was Loveliness worrying in her pretty fashion because my cravat had shifted or some such, and here was I pulling at the thing and saying, 'Yes, dear,' and making it worse when, as the poet says, 'amid this glittering throng of lovely women and gallant men' my charmed eye alighted upon a haughty beauty, a ravishing creature condescending to be worshipped by a crowd of fawning slaves, civilian, soldier and sailor of all stations and ranks, from purple-faced admirals and general officers to pink, downy-whiskered subalterns. 'Egad, Loveliness,' says I, jerking at my cravat, 'what asinine fools brave men and gallant gentlemen can make of themselves for lovely woman--look yonder!' 'Where?' says she. 'There!' says I, 'the dark, dazzling beauty yonder!' So Loveliness looks, and at that very moment Beauty breaks from the abject circle of her fawning slaves and comes running. 'Diana!' cries Loveliness. 'Barbara!' cries Beauty, and they are in each other's arms--and there you are, Perry. Astonishing how they love each other. So when I left to attend this birthday of yours, Loveliness must stay with her Diana--I miss her most damnably!" "Has she so many admirers?" I sighed. "Hordes of 'em, Perry! Troops, squadrons, regiments, begad! So has my Loveliness, for that matter." "And are you never jealous?"