"Why?" repeated Lord Parham, suddenly stiffening. "I don't follow you,
Lady Kitty."
"Anybody can talk sense!" said Kitty, throwing a big bit of muffin at
Ponto's nose. "It's the other thing that's hard--isn't it?"
"Lady Kitty," said the Dean, lifting a finger, "you are plagiarizing
from Mr. Pitt."
"Am I?" said Kitty. "I didn't know."
"I imagine that Mr. Pitt talked sense sometimes," said Lord Parham,
shortly.
"Ah, that was when he was drunk!" said Kitty. "Then he wasn't
responsible."
Lord Parham and the circle laughed--though the Premier's laugh was a
little dry and perfunctory.
"So you worship nonsense, Lady Kitty?"
Kitty nodded sweetly.
"And so does William. Ah, here he is!"
For Ashe appeared, hurrying over the lawn, and Lord Parham rose to greet
his host.
"Upon my word, Ashe, how well you look!
You have had some holiday!"
"Which is more than can be said of yourself," said Ashe, with smiling
sympathy. "Well!--how have the speeches gone? Is there anything left of
you? Edinburgh was magnificent!"
He wore his most radiant aspect as he sat down beside his guest; and
Kitty watching him, and already conscious of a renewed and excitable
dislike for her guest, thought William was overdoing it absurdly, and
grew still more restive.
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