‘Did you?’ said Helena, with a curious quaver in her voice, half laughter, half astonishment. ‘Well, you must have been right. She has married a clergyman who is the head of a very large boys’ school--a sort of college.’ ‘The very thing for her. I wish, when you write, you would ask if she remembers my insignificance, and offer my warmest congratulations and good wishes.’ ‘When I write!’ echoed Helena, scornfully. ‘I wrote to her once, after I heard of it, but never again. I told her my mind.’ ‘Did you really? What did you say?’ ‘I said she was a traitor to her sex and her cause, and that, as I still held my old opinions, I could not be her friend any longer.’ ‘How awful for her! May I ask whether she made any reply?’ ‘Oh yes,’ said Helena, her colour rising, ‘she made a very stupid reply.’ ‘Won’t you tell me what it was?’ ‘No, it was too silly.’ ‘I believe you got the worst of it.’ ‘At least, it was too ridiculous to repeat.’ ‘Perhaps she said, “Wait and see;” or, “Don’t shout till you are out of the wood!” only more elegantly expressed.’ ‘She--oh, there is Hugo coming. This is my first dance with him.’ ‘Miss Spenceley, will you be very kind to Hugo to-night? Really and truly, he has had a great trouble.’ ‘I will. Poor boy!’ ‘And have you any dances left?--a waltz? Though I can hardly hope it. You must have been engaged long ago, for the whole evening?’ ‘In that case you might have spared yourself the trouble of asking,’ said Helena, rather defiantly; but as their eyes met, hers wavered. ‘Perhaps you have still one left,’ said he, capturing her programme and opening it. ‘It looks very full,’ he said; ‘but--ah, yes! here is one, a waltz--two waltzes. This is extraordinary--my luck, I mean; don’t you think so? And may I----’ He paused, looking inquiringly at her as he held the pencil suspended over the card. ‘Two waltzes!’ exclaimed Helena, innocently. ‘Oh, but that must be a mistake. I know when Mr. Consterdine came just now I told him I had not one left.’ ‘No doubt you told him what was good for him,’ said Sebastian, with laudable gravity. ‘At least, we will make it quite sure now. There: “S. M., 6,” and “S. M., 10.” Thank you, very much.’ With a bow and a half-smile he resigned her to Hugo, who came up at that moment to offer congratulations and to claim his dance, while Sebastian walked away to while away the time until ‘Number 6’ should begin.