"It is to be presumed," he murmured, "that you ladies are both free from any present attachment?"
"Got you there!" Amerton chuckled. "What about Billy?"
Rosie Sharon sighed.
"We don't come to the prince's supper parties to remember our ties," she declared. "Let's all go on talking nonsense, please. Even if my heart is broken, I could never resist the prince's pâté!"
Apparently every one was of the same mind. The hum of laughter steadily grew. Jokes, mostly in the nature of personalities, were freely bandied across the table. It was becoming obvious that the contributors to the penny illustrated papers knew what they were talking about. Under shelter of the fire of conversation, the prince leaned toward his companion and reopened their previous discussion.
"Do you know," he began, "I am inclined to be somewhat disappointed by your lack of enthusiasm in a certain direction!"
"I have disappointed many men in my time," she replied. "Do you doubt my power, now that I have promised to exercise it?"
"Who could?" he replied courteously. "Yet this young man poses, I believe, as something of a St. Anthony. He may give you trouble."
"He is then, what you call a prig?"
"A most complete and perfect specimen, even in this nation of prigs!"