Before three o'clock in the afternoon "Willie" reappeared, well groomed and perfectly dressed. I had been out lunching at the "Berkeley" with a friend, and on re-entering the chambers, found him in the sitting-room smoking a cigarette.
The effects of his overnight dissipation had entirely passed. He seated himself upon the arm of a chair and asked:
"Well, Heltzendorff, I suppose you've been out to lunch—eh? Anything interesting in this town?"
"The usual set at the 'Berkeley,'" I replied.
"Oh! The 'Berkeley!' Very nice, but too respectable. That is where one takes one's aunt, is it not?" he laughed.
I admitted that it was a most excellent restaurant.
"Good food and good amusement, my dear Heltzendorff, one can never find together. The worse the food the better the entertainment. Do you remember the 'Rat Mort'—eh?"
"No," I said sharply. "That is a long-past and unwelcome memory."
The Imperial profligate laughed heartily.
"Oh, my dear Heltzendorff, you are becoming quite pharisaical. You! Oh! that is really amusing!"