"Trouble is on the lookout for all of us, Aubrey," said his companion, "it is no good flying from it, even. The only thing to do is to look it in the face and laugh at it; then it gets annoyed sometimes, and goes away. But those two poor dears are sailing into the middle of it, and they don't even know how to laugh yet."
"You think that Egypt is hopelessly demoralising. Thousands of people go there and come safely home, almost all, in fact, except Robert Hichens's heroines."
"Oh no, not in Egypt," said Lady Everington; "Egypt is only a stepping-stone. They are going to Japan."
"Well, certainly Japan is harmless enough. There is nobody there worth flirting with except us at the Embassies, and we generally have our hands full. As for the visitors, they are always under the influence of Cook's tickets and Japanese guides."
"Aubrey dear, you think that trouble can only come from flirting or money."
"I know that those two preoccupations are an abundant source of trouble."
"What do you think of Mrs. Barrington?" asked her Ladyship, appearing to change the subject.
"Oh, a very sweet little thing."
"Like your lady friends in Tokyo, the Japanese ones, I mean?"
"Not in the least. Japanese ladies look very picturesque, but they are as dull as dolls. They sidle along in the wake of their husbands, and don't expect to be spoken to."