DOONE. Curious thing how some women carry a Fate with them. There was a Mrs. Deegie in the Central Provinces whose men invariably fell away and got married. It became a regular proverb with us when I was down there. I remember three men desperately devoted to her, and they all, one after another, took wives. CURTISS. That's odd. Now I should have thought that Mrs. Deegie's influence would have led them to take other men's wives. It ought to have made them afraid of the judgment of Providence. ANTHONY. Mrs. Herriott will make Gaddy afraid of something more than the judgment of Providence, I fancy. BLAYNE. Supposing things are as you say, he'll be a fool to face her. He'll sit tight at Simla. ANTHONY. 'Shouldn't be a bit surprised if he went off to Naini to explain. He's an unaccountable sort of man, and she's likely to be a more than unaccountable woman. DOONE. What makes you take her character away so confidently? ANTHONY. _Primum tempus_. Gaddy was her first, and a woman doesn't allow her first man to drop away without expostulation. She justifies the first transfer of affection to herself by swearing that it is for ever and ever. Consequently-- BLAYNE. Consequently, we are sitting here till past one o'clock, talking scandal like a set of Station cats. Anthony, it's all your fault. We were perfectly respectable till you came in. Go to bed. I'm off. Good-night all. CURTISS. Past one! It's past two, by Jove, and here's the _khit_ coming for the late charge. Just Heavens! One, two, three, four, _five_ rupees to pay for the pleasure of saying that a poor little beast of a woman is no better than she should be. I'm ashamed of myself. Go to bed, you slanderous villains, and if I'm sent to Beora to-morrow, be prepared to hear I'm dead before paying my card account! THE TENTS OF KEDAR Only why should it be with pain at all, Why must I 'twixt the leaves of coronal Put any kiss of pardon on thy brow? Why should the other women know so much, And talk together:--Such the look and such The smile he used to love with, then as now. _Any Wife to any Husband_. SCENE.-_A Naini Tal dinner for thirty-four. Plate, wines, crockery, and khitmatgars carefully calculated to scale of Rs. 6000 per mensem, less Exchange. Table split lengthways by bank of flowers._ MRS. HERRIOTT. (_After conversation has risen to proper pitch._) Ah! 'Didn't see you in the crush in the drawing-room. (_Sotto voce._) Where _have_ you been all this while, Pip? CAPTAIN GADSBY. (_Turning from regularly ordained dinner partner and settling hock glasses._) Good evening. (_Sotto voce._) Not quite so loud another time. You've no notion how your voice carries. (_Aside._) So much for shirking the written explanation. It'll have to be a verbal one now. Sweet prospect! How on earth am I to tell her that I am a respectable, engaged member of society and it's all over between us?