It would have been wearisome enough if they had played conscientiously; but, when the game was treated as a joke or a means of being malicious in secret, it was sheer waste of time. When my turn came, I was let off with quite a good character; but I am not vain enough to attribute this to anything more than luck or carelessness. I was not one of the _intimates_; they were in a hurry to put down any marks anywhere and move on to their next victim. At the same time I found it _exceedingly_ unpleasant when the totals were read out--or, let me say, it _would_ have been unpleasant if the whole game had not been so ridiculous. A hundred and fifty marks was the maximum; and, when "Love of Music" was given, I found that I had been accorded--twenty! I, who had been clamouring for music when every one else wanted to gamble or indulge in negro dances... And I have no doubt that I am indebted for the _princely_ total of twenty to the chivalry of my host and hostess, who could not very well criticize a guest--at least on that score... Will? You think that Will came to my support? I do not know what had overtaken him that night; his surroundings reacted on him until he was unrecognizable. When we reached "Sense of Humour", he called out: "Oh, I say, here's a lark! 'Sense of Humour; grand total, nought.'" All I can say is, I was glad to have enough humour to see the absurdity and to join in the general laugh. But I was furious with Will... You might have thought that, after I had been pilloried and held up to the scorn of young women whom I would not allow to enter my back-door, artists or no artists, I might have been suffered to go to bed. But no! That would upset the totals! I must stay to the bitter end, though my head was aching with fatigue and I could see that the game was growing more and more ill-natured... I heaved a sigh when we reached Sir Adolf, for his name completed the circle. I don't know whether the others were even trying to give an honest opinion, but I did my best according to my lights. "Good looks"? I really think he would be the first to admit that he is not prepossessing. "Moral character"? I'm not a scandal-monger, I hope, but he _has_ been twice divorced. "Loyalty"? I gave him full marks for that; otherwise I should not have been staying in his house. "Hospitality"? He meant well, but a _guest_ has _certain_ moral claims; I could only give him two for hospitality. "Love of Music"? Five for that, so far as I remember. "Sense of Humour"? _Nought_! I _couldn't_ give him any marks for humour. "Amiability"? ... But I cannot recall the questions; there were nearly forty of them.