“To bring me—to bring me where?” asked Muniment. “You talk as if I were a sample out of your shop, or a little dog you had for sale. Has she ever seen me? Does she think I’m smaller than you? What does she know about me?” “Well, principally, that you’re a friend of mine—that’s enough for her.” “Do you mean that it ought to be enough for me that she’s a friend of yours? I have a notion you’ll have some queer ones before you’re done; a good many more than I have time to talk to. And how can I go to see a delicate female, with those paws?” Muniment inquired, exhibiting ten work-stained fingers. “Buy a pair of gloves,” said Hyacinth, who recognised the serious character of this obstacle. But after a moment he added, “No, you oughtn’t to do that; she wants to see dirty hands.” “That’s easy enough; she needn’t send for me for the purpose. But isn’t she making game of you?” “It’s very possible, but I don’t see what good it can do her.” “You are not obliged to find excuses for the pampered classes. Their bloated luxury begets evil, impudent desires; they are capable of doing harm for the sake of harm. Besides, is she genuine?” “If she isn’t, what becomes of your explanation?” asked Hyacinth. “Oh, it doesn’t matter; at night all cats are gray. Whatever she is, she’s an idle, bedizened jade.” “If you had seen her, you wouldn’t talk of her that way.” “God forbid I should see her, then, if she’s going to corrupt me!” “Do you suppose she’ll corrupt _me?_” Hyacinth demanded, with an expression of face and a tone of voice which produced, on his friend’s part, an explosion of mirth. “How can she, after all, when you are already such a little mass of corruption?” “You don’t think that,” said Hyacinth, looking very grave. “Do you mean that if I did I wouldn’t say it? Haven’t you noticed that I say what I think?” “No, you don’t, not half of it: you’re as close as a fish.” Paul Muniment looked at his companion a moment, as if he were rather struck with the penetration of that remark; then he said, “Well, then, if I should give you the other half of my opinion of you, do you think you’d fancy it?” “I’ll save you the trouble. I’m a very clever, conscientious, promising young chap, and any one would be proud to claim me as a friend.” “Is that what your Princess told you? She must be a precious piece of goods!” Paul Muniment exclaimed. “Did she pick your pocket meanwhile?” “Oh yes; a few minutes later I missed a silver cigar-case, engraved with the arms of the Robinsons. Seriously,” Hyacinth continued, “don’t you consider it possible that a woman of that class should want to know what is going on among the like of us?” “It depends upon what class you mean.” “Well, a woman with a lot of jewels and the manners of an angel. It’s queer of course, but it’s conceivable; why not? There may be unselfish natures; there may be disinterested feelings.”