"What did he say?"
By natural compensation Deganway atoned for certain defects of intelligence by an excellent power of mimicry. He gave not only Jack's lilt and phraseology, but his facial changes and rather prim, tight-lipped smile.
"I tried him again," he added, "but he said he must go to bed. I don't believe he wanted to meet you."
Lady Barbara smiled composedly, but the brusque rebuff, brusquely quoted, wounded her pride as nothing had done since Jim's cable. Some one had taken up the challenge, as she had feared—or hoped.
"Sorry he's so hard to please," she answered lightly. "You can give me some supper, if you like. Who and what is he? A candid critic is so rare that I should quite like to meet him."
CHAPTER FOUR APHRODITE DEMI-MONDAINE
"What rage for fame attends both great and small!
Better be d——d than mentioned not at all!"