‘You know Captain Howland-Bowser, don’t you, Lady Wyse, our great literary man?’
‘No,’ said Lady Wyse, looking calmly at her fan: ‘never heard of him.’
‘Aha, Bowser!’ said the Baron, with a nod.
The Captain withdrew in good order, discomfited but dignified.
‘You’re very discouraging, all of you,’ pursued the great lady. ‘I suppose the Baron is now going to tell me that you have to study for twenty years before you can set up as a money-lender.’
‘Dere is only one brofession,’ said the Baron thoughtfully, ‘where one can be great man widout knowing anysing; bot it is de most eenfluential of all.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Bolitics.’
‘Capital!’ said Lady Wyse. ‘We’ll put Prince Dwala in the Cabinet.’
Lord Glendover rose from his chair at this, in what might almost be called a ‘huff.’ His gaunt, important face hung over the group like the top of an old Scotch fir.