THE MINX.—A POEM IN PROSE.
Poet. It's so good of you to see me. I merely wished to ask one or two questions as to your career. You must have led a most interesting life.
Sphinx. You are very inquisitive and extremely indiscreet, and I have always carefully avoided being interviewed. However, go on.
Poet. I believe you can read hieroglyphs?
Sphinx. Oh yes; I can, fluently, But I never do. I assure you they are not in the least amusing.
Poet. No doubt you have talked with hippogriffs and basilisks?
Sphinx (modestly). I certainly was in rather a smart set at one time. As they say, I have "known better days."
Poet. Did you ever have any conversation with Thoth?
Sphinx (loftily). Oh, dear no! (Mimicking.) Thoth he wath not conthidered quite a nice perthon. I would not allow him to be introduced to me.
Poet. You were very particular?
Sphinx. One has to be careful. The world is so censorious.
Poet. I wonder, would you give me the pleasure of singing to me? "Adrian's Gilded Barge," for instance?
Sphinx. You must really excuse me. I am not in good voice. By the way, the "Gilded Barge," as you call it, was merely a shabby sort of punt. It would have had no effect whatever at the Henley Regatta.
Poet. Dear me! Is it true you played golf among the Pyramids?
Sphinx (emphatically). Perfectly untrue. You see what absurd reports get about!
Poet (softly). They do. What was that story about the Tyrian?
Sphinx. Merely gossip. There was nothing in it, I assure you.
Poet. And Apis?
Sphinx. Oh, he sent me some flowers, and there were paragraphs about it—in hieroglyphs—in the society papers. That was all. But they were contradicted.
Poet. You knew Ammon very well, I believe?
Sphinx (frankly). Ammon and I were great pals. I used to see a good deal of him. He came in to tea very often—he was quite interesting. But I have not seen him for a long time. He had one fault—he would smoke in the drawing-room. And though I hope I am not too conventional, I really could not allow that.
Poet. How pleased they would all be to see you again! Why do you not go over to Egypt for the winter?
Sphinx. The hotels at Cairo are so dreadfully expensive.
Poet. Is it true you went tunny-fishing with Antony?
Sphinx. One must draw the line somewhere! Cleopatra was so cross. She was horribly jealous, and not nearly so handsome as you might suppose, though she was photographed as a "type of Egyptian Beauty!"
Poet. I must thank you very much for the courteous way in which you have replied to my questions. And now will you forgive me if I make an observation? In my opinion you are not a Sphinx at all.
Sphinx (indignantly). What am I, then?
Poet. A Minx.