"I am sitting," she said, "among the ruins."
"Indeed?" he said. "Is there room upon a fallen column or a broken plinth for me?"
"Oh, yes," she answered, "but it is not for a successful man like you, whose name is upon the public lips, to gaze with me upon demolished theories."
"I have taken my time in gazing upon them before now," he observed.
"Everybody is talking about your book," she said.
"Oh, no, only a very few people. But about your theories—which of them has proved itself unable to bear the weight of experience?"
"You may remember I dwelt somewhat at length upon the indifference of happy youth to the stings of outrageous fortune when supported by some one else?"
"I remember. I regard it as the lesson for the day."
"It's early to mention it, but I am obliged to give you the evidence of my error—honor demands it—and Alice will not mind, even if she sees fit to contradict it to-morrow;" and she told him what had just been told her.
He smiled as she concluded her statement, and she, meeting his glance in all seriousness, broke down into a moment's laughter.