These two ladies seemed to Mr. Brumley to offer a certain resistance of spirit to the effusion of Lady Beach-Mandarin, rather as two small anchored vessels might resist the onset of a great and foaming tide, but after a time it was clear they admired her greatly. His attention was, however, a little distracted from them by the fact that he was the sole representative of the more serviceable sex among five women and so in duty bound to stand by Lady Harman and assist with various handings and offerings. The tea equipage was silver and not only magnificent but, as certain quick movements of Miss Sharsper’s eyes and nose at its appearance betrayed, very genuine and old. Lady Beach-Mandarin having praised the house and garden all over again to Mrs. Sawbridge, and having praised the cypress and envied the tea things, resumed her efforts to secure the immediate establishment of permanent social relations with Lady Harman. She reverted to the question of the Shakespear Dinners Society and now with a kind of large skilfulness involved Mrs. Sawbridge in her appeal. “Won’t _you_ come on our Committee?” said Lady Beach-Mandarin. Mrs. Sawbridge gave a pinched smile and said she was only staying in London for quite a little time, and when pressed admitted that there seemed no need whatever for consulting Sir Isaac upon so obviously foregone a conclusion as Lady Harman’s public adhesion to the great movement. “I shall put his hundred guineas down to Sir Isaac and Lady Harman,” said Lady Beach-Mandarin with an air of conclusion, “and now I want to know, dear Lady Harman, whether we can’t have _you_ on our Committee of administration. We want—just one other woman to complete us.” Lady Harman could only parry with doubts of her ability. “You ought to go on, Ella,” said Miss Sawbridge suddenly, speaking for the first time and in a manner richly suggestive of great principles at stake. “Ella,” thought the curious mind of Mr. Brumley. “And is that Eleanor now or Ellen or—is there any other name that gives one Ella? Simply Ella?” “But what should I have to do?” fenced Lady Harman, resisting but obviously attracted. Lady Beach-Mandarin invented a lengthy paraphrase for prompt acquiescences. “I shall be chairwoman,” she crowned it with. “I can so easily _see you through_ as they say.” “Ella doesn’t go out half enough,” said Miss Sawbridge suddenly to Miss Sharsper, who was regarding her with furtive intensity—as if she was surreptitiously counting her features. Miss Sharsper caught in mid observation started and collected her mind. “One ought to go out,” she said. “Certainly.” “And independently,” said Miss Sawbridge, with meaning. “Oh independently!” assented Miss Sharsper. It was evident she would now have to watch her chance and begin counting all over again from the beginning. Mr. Brumley had an impression that Mrs. Sawbridge had said something quite confidential in his ear. He turned perplexed.