And, the devil possessing me, I said, "For the last time, will you take me?"
"No!" she said, under her breath. "You have your answer now."
"I have my answer," I repeated, setting my teeth.
XII
THE GHOST-RING
I had bathed and dressed me in my best suit of pale-lilac silk, with flapped waistcoat of primrose stiff with gold, and Cato was powdering my hair; when Sir Lupus waddled in, magnificent in scarlet and white, and smelling to heaven of French perfume and pomatum.
"George!" he cried, in his brusque, explosive fashion, "I like Schuyler, and I care not who knows it! Dammy! I was cool enough with him and his lady when they arrived, but he played Valentine to my Orson till I gave up; yes, I did, George, I capitulated. Says he, 'Sir Lupus, if a painful misunderstanding has kept us old neighbors from an exchange of civilities, I trust differences may be forgotten in this graver crisis. In our social stratum there is but one great line of cleavage now, opened by the convulsions of war, sir."
"'Damn the convulsions of war, sir!' says I.
"'Quite right,' says he, mildly; 'war is always damnable, Sir Lupus.'