"Is it so now?" asked Mrs. Wilders. "Cannot you even give me the pleasure of your society for an hour or two without its being known?"
"I do it in this way, dear lady. I leave a sealed envelope on my hall table, which is only opened in case of urgency."
"You don't expect to be summoned to-night, I hope?" inquired the fair hostess.
"I cannot say; it is quite probable."
"There are, perhaps, important movements intended in the Crimea?" asked Mr. Hobson, as he picked his strawberries and prepared himself a sauce of sugar and cream.
"You have heard so?" replied Mr. Faulks.
"There was something in the Times this morning from their special correspondent. Some new expedition was talked of."
"They ought to be all shot, these correspondents," said Mr. Faulks, decisively. "They permit themselves to canvass the conduct and character of persons of our position with a freedom that is intolerable."
"Pardon me," said Mr. Hobson, "but as one of the British public, a taxpayer and bearer of the public burden, I feel grateful to these newspaper gentlemen for seeing that our money is properly spent."
"I am sorry to hear you commend them," said Mr. Faulks, in a way that implied much resentment.