'Something outrageous, I suppose,' said Mr. Pole, with a sneer. 'I wish Cadurcis would study Pope.'
'Study Pope! My dear Mr. Pole, you have no imagination.'
'No, I have not, thank Heaven!' drawled out Mr. Pole.
'Well, do not let us have a quarrel about Cadurcis,' said Lady
Monteagle. 'All you men are jealous of him.'
'And some of you women, I think, too,' said Mr. Pole.
Lady Monteagle faintly smiled.
'Poor Cadurcis!' she exclaimed; 'he has a very hard life of it. He complains bitterly that so many women are in love with him. But then he is such an interesting creature, what can he expect?'
'Interesting!' exclaimed Mr. Pole. 'Now I hold he is the most conceited, affected fellow that I ever met,' he continued with unusual energy.
'Ah! you men do not understand him,' said Lady Monteagle, shaking her head. 'You cannot,' she added, with a look of pity.
'I cannot, certainly,' said Mr. Pole, 'or his writings either. For my part I think the town has gone mad.'