"That's very good of you," she said; "but isn't it rather like asking the leopard not to change his spots? And after all, I don't know why we shouldn't be as proud of our accent as you are of yours." "I'm quite certain I'm not proud of mine," said Drake. She smiled up at him over her fan; a small and costly painted affair, with diamonds incrusted in the handle. "You are more modest than most Englishmen," she said. "I don't know whether to be grateful or not for that," remarked Drake. "Are we all so conceited?" "Well, I think you are all pretty well satisfied with yourselves," she replied. "I never knew any nation so firmly convinced that it was the pick of creation; and I expect before I am here very long I shall become as fully convinced as you are that the world was made by special contract for the use and amusement of the English. Mind, I won't say that it could have been made for a better people." "That's rather severe," said Drake. "But don't you forget that you were English yourself a few years ago; that, in a sense, you are English still." "That's very nicely said," she remarked; "more especially as I didn't quite deserve it. I was wanting to see whether I could make you angry." Drake stared at her with astonishment. "Why on earth should you want to make me angry?" he asked. "Well, I've heard a great deal about you," she replied. "And all the people who talked about you told me that you were rather hot-tempered. Lady Northgate, for instance, assured me you could be a perfect bear when you liked." Drake smiled. "That was extremely kind of Lady Northgate." "Well, so long as it wasn't true. I've heard so much about you that I was quite anxious to see you. I am speaking to Lord Drake Selbie, am I not?" "That's my name," said Drake. "The nephew of Angleford?" Drake nodded. She looked up at him as if waiting to see how he took the mention of his uncle's name; but Drake's face could be as impassive as a stone wall when he liked. "You know my uncle?" he asked, in a tone of polite interest. "Yes," she said; "very well. I met him when he was in America. His wife is a great friend of mine. You know her, of course?" "I'm sorry to say I have not had that pleasure," said Drake. "I was absent from England when the present Lady Angleford came over, after her marriage." "Oh, yes," said the lady. "I suppose I ought not to have mentioned her?" "Good heavens! Why not?" asked Drake. "Well, of course," she drawled slowly, but musically, "I know that Lord Angleford's marriage was a bad thing for you. It wouldn't be my fault if I didn't, seeing that everybody in London has been talking about it." "Well, it's not a particularly good thing for me," Drake admitted; "but it's no reason why I should dislike any reference to my uncle or his wife." "You don't bear her any ill will?" she asked.