"The reverse; but then you see I have not taken Talleyrand's advice. It is excellent and infallible to many people, but not to me." "Why not?" "I refer you to one Hamlet, who said, 'The time is out of joint.'" "Hamlet was a morbid, self-analysing egotist," said Lady Errington, emphatically. "No--you are wrong. He was a man crushed down by melancholy." "Principally of his own making, though certainly he had plenty of excuse." "And don't you think I have any excuse for being unhappy?" Alizon looked at him critically. "You are young, healthy, rich, famous. No, I don't think you have any excuse. Do you remember my advice to you the other night?" "About philanthropy, yes. But we did not come to any agreement on the subject, because we were interrupted." "History repeats itself," said Lady Errington, rising, "for here come Mrs. Trubbles and Guy." "And Macjean and Miss Sheldon. Farewell, Minerva--Momus is King." "Wisdom gives place to Folly--well, is not that a very good thing," said Alizon laughing, "you would grow weary of a world without change." "I daresay. To no moment of my life could I have said with Faust, 'Stay, thou art so fair.'" "Alizon, Mrs. Trubbles is going," said Sir Guy's voice, as the ponderous matron rolled towards his wife like a war-chariot. "I'm so sorry," observed Lady Errington, taking the lady's hand. "So am I, dear," said Mrs. Trubbles in a sleepy voice, "but I always go to bed early here, the climate makes me so sleepy. I have enjoyed myself so much--so very much. Yes." "Next time you visit," whispered Otterburn to Victoria, "bring a chaperon who is wide-awake." "I will--you shall choose my chaperon, Mr. Macjean." "You mightn't like my choice," said Macjean wickedly. "I mean a lady, of course," replied Victoria demurely, "not an irreverent young man like--well, never mind." "Like me, I suppose?" "I never said so." "No, but you looked it." Victoria laughed, and departed with Mrs. Trubbles and her hostess to put her wraps on, while the three gentlemen had a short smoke and conversation, after which they all separated for the night. Eustace walked silently back in the moonlight with Mrs. Trubbles who did all the talking; and the young couple behind them talked Chinese metaphysics. CHAPTER VIII. EUSTACE EXAMINES HIS MIND. "I looked into my mind, And what did I find? The waifs of the life I had left behind. "The tears of a girl, A blossom--a curl, The heart of a woman who married an Earl. "Ambitions and fears, Gay laughter and tears, Dead sorrows, dead pleasures of long perished years. "Ah, folly to sigh For passions that die, Sir Poet, 'tis best to let sleeping dogs lie." "I suppose," said Eustace to his friend, "that as we are here we may as well see something of the place." "But we have seen a lot," objected Angus, removing his post-prandial cigarette.