“I don’t mind castles so much. One can inherit them——” “No, he bought this one.” “Well, even so—castles are romantic and interesting. One might have a dream of founding a family. But for a man to come to college and occupy a whole house—what motive could he have but ostentation?” No one answered—though she waited for an answer. At last, with a grave face, she pronounced the judgment, “I would expect to find such a man a degenerate.” They were evidently shocked, but covered it by laughing. “Lord!” said Bates, “I’d like to have van Tuiver hear that!” “Probably it would be good for him,” replied Sylvia, coldly. Everybody grinned. “Wish you’d tell him!” said the man. “I’d be delighted.” “Would you really?” “Why certainly.” “By Jove, I believe you’d do it!” declared Bates. “But why shouldn’t I do it?” “I don’t know. When people meet van Tuiver they sometimes lose their nerve.” “Is he so very terrible?” “Well, he’s rather imposing.” Then Sylvia took a new line. “Of course,” she said, hesitatingly, “I wouldn’t want to be irreverent——” “May I go and bring him here?” inquired Bates, eagerly. To which she replied, “Perhaps one owes more deference to Royalty. Shouldn’t you take me to him?” “We’ll keep you on a throne of your own,” said Thurlow—“at least, while you are here.” (It was quite as if he had been a Southern man.) But Bates was not to be diverted from his idea. “Won’t you let me go and get him?” he inquired. “Does he visit in dormitories?” “Really, Miss Castleman, I’m not joking. Wouldn’t you like to meet him?” “Why should I?” “Because—we’d all like to see what would happen.” “From what you say about him,” remarked Sylvia, “he sounds to me like a bore. Or at any rate, a young man who is in need of chastening.” “Exactly!” cried Bates. “And we’d like to see you attend to it!” The time had come, Sylvia thought, to play upon a new string. She looked about her with a slightly _distrait_ air. “Don’t you think,” she inquired, “that we are giving him too large a portion of this charming afternoon?” The men appreciated the compliment; but the other theme still enticed them. Said Jackson, “We can’t give up the idea of the chastening, Miss Castleman.” “Of course, if you are afraid of him—” added Bates, slyly. There was a momentary flash in Sylvia’s eyes. But then she laughed—“You can’t play a game like that on me!” “We would _so_ like,” said Jackson, “to see van Tuiver get a drubbing!” “Please, Miss Castleman!” added Harmon, “give him a drubbing!” But the girl only held out her white-gloved hands. “Look at these,” she said, “how pure and spotless!” Said “Tubby”: “I hereby register a vow, I will never partake of food again until you two have met!” Sylvia rose, looking bored. “I’m going to run away,” she said, “if you don’t find something interesting to talk about.” And strolling towards a cabinet, “Mr. Thurlow, come and introduce me to this charming little Billikin!” § 6