"She just has to please herself," said the Mater comfortably.
"I am dreaming!" said I.
"No, you're not," said the Mater; and she pinched me till I started.
Everybody found this very funny—and so I took it as good-naturedly as I could. But I made up my mind to have a little revenge, so I asked the Mater quite loud as soon as they had finished laughing:
"Tell me, is Lydia the only Demetrian here?"
All looked shocked except Cleon, who laughed louder than ever, but Anna looked at him severely and said:
"Cleon, I'm surprised."
I noticed, too, a smile curl Ariston's lip. The Mater put a warning finger to her mouth and shook her head reproachfully.
"You see," I said, with no small satisfaction at the confusion I had caused, "I am new to all these things; I have to distinguish fact from fancy; the sacred from the profane."