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 minutes. The other men will go if he will do as much as that."

"I think M. della Rocca quite right not 'to do as much as that, said the Lady Hilda. "Why Society ever does as much as that, or half as much, or anything at all, for Joshua R. Postiche, I can never tell. As it does,—to be consistent everybody should dine with the fruit woman from the street corner, and play écarté with their own chimney sweeps."

"Oh, we shall come to that, Madame," said Nicolas Doggondorf. "At least, if chimney sweeping ever make heaps of money; I don't think it does; it only chokes little boys."

"Ce bon Monsieur Postiche sold rum and molasses," murmured Don Carlo.

"What's it to us what he sold?" said Lady Featherleigh. "We've nothing to do with him; we're only going to his ball. You talk as if we asked the man to dinner."

"What does the Archduchess Anna always say: 'Où je m'amuse—j'y vais.' So we do all. I hear he has been put up for the Club; is it true?" added the Princess to Carlo Maremma.