"Yes! Practically asked me! Anyhow, gave me the tip What can you do?" He implied that, far from deriving unique and unhoped-for glory from the condescension of Irene Wheeler in consenting to dine with him, he had conferred a favour on her by his invitation. He implied that brilliant women all over London competed for his invitations. His manner was entirely serious; it probably deceived even himself. George's manner corresponded, instinctively, chivalrously; but George was not deceived--at any rate in the subconscious depth of his mind. "Exactly!" murmured George. "Yes" said Lucas. "She said: 'I could bring Laurencine with me, if you can get another man. That would make a four.' She said she wanted to wake Laurencine up." "Did you tell her you should ask me?" George questioned. "Oh! She seemed to know all about you, my boy." "Well, but she couldn't know all about me," said George insincerely. "Well, if you want to know then, she suggested I should ask you." "But she'd never seen me!" "She's heard of you. Mrs. Orgreave, I expect." "Odd!... Odd!" George now pretended to be academically assessing an announcement that had no intrinsic interest for him. In reality he was greatly excited. "Well you know what those sort of women are!" Lucas summed up wisely, as if referring to truths of knowledge common among men of their kidney. "Oh, of course!" The magazine slid from the knees of the sleeper. The sleeper snorted and woke up. The spell was broken. Lucas rose suddenly. "Bye-bye!" He was giving an ultimatum as to his departure. George rose also, but slowly. "All that doesn't explain why she didn't ask us up," said he. But in his heart he thought he knew why Miss Wheeler hadn't asked them up. The reason was that she maliciously wanted to tantalize him, George. She had roused his curiosity about Lois, and then she had said to herself: "You think you're going to see her to-night, but you just aren't." Such, according to George, was Irene Wheeler the illustrious. He reflected on the exasperating affair until he had undressed and got into bed. But as soon as he had put out the light Marguerite appeared before him, and at the back of her were the examiners for the Final. He slept ill. CHAPTER VII THE RUPTURE I