Dolly lifted her glass and poured the contents of it into the nearly emptied chocolate jug. Rupert immediately followed her example.
"What's that for?" said her father, frowning.
"It's waste," added her mother. "I call that waste."
"Don't make yourself ridiculous, Dolly!" Mr. Copley went on. "My child, the world has drunk wine ever since before you were born, and it will go on drinking it after you are dead. What is the use of trying to change what cannot be changed? What can you do?"
"Father, I will not help a bad cause."
"How is it a bad cause, Miss Dolly?" said Lawrence now. "It is a certain pleasure,—but what harm?"
"Do you ask me that?" said she, with a look of her clear, womanly eyes, which it was not very pleasant to meet.
"Well, of course, if people misuse the thing,"—— he began.
"Do they often misuse it, Mr. St. Leger?"
"Well, yes; perhaps they do."