"It's been a long time, Athalie. Has it seemed so to you?"
She nodded. Hafiz, marching to and fro, his plumy tail curling around her knees, looked up at his mistress out of sapphire eyes.
"Jump, darling," she said invitingly. Hafiz sprang onto her lap with a quick contented little mew, stretched his superb neck and began to rub against her shoulder, purring ecstatically.
"He'll cover me with long white hairs," she remarked to Clive, "but I don't care. Isn't he a beauty? Hasn't he seraphic eyes and angelic manners?"
Clive nodded, watching the cat with sombre and detached interest.
She said, stroking Hafiz and looking down at the magnificent animal: "Did you have a pleasant evening, Clive?"
"Not very."
"I'm sorry. Your party seemed to be such a very gay one."
"They made a lot of noise."