"Respectable?"
"No, not that, these people are respectable, of course. But,—sincere, that's what I mean. This bunch are fakirs, they pretend to brains and knowledge and wisdom that they don't possess."
"And I suppose you do! Have you got all the knowledge and wisdom in the world?"
"At least I don't pretend to have the knowledge that I haven't!"
"But you pretend to have a whole lot of authority over me that you haven't! I tell you, Phil, I'm not going to be ordered about by you! I came to this party because I wanted to see it, and I'm going to stay till it's over, and you can do what you like."
"All right, then," and Phil looked grave. "I'll go away for a time, and I'll return and escort you home. What time shall I come back?"
"You needn't come back at all. I'll go home with Elise, or if not, I daresay Mr. Blaney will see that I get home safely. Won't you?" she added, turning to the resplendent figure nearby.
"Won't I what?" he asked gaily. "But the answer is yes, to anything you may ask. Even to the half of my kingdom, and then the other half. To be sure, my kingdom is small, and half of it is my sister's, but you can command it all."
"Oh, no, nothing so great as that! Merely to see me back to my rooftree in safety, if I outstay my escort."
"You're going to outstay everybody. Why, the fun hasn't begun yet.
Don't dream of going home now!"