Page:In a winter city, by Ouida.djvu/86

Rh will never be so ill-bred as to see that side-door under your laurels.

Do drive out at the hall-door;—do;—for sake of les Bienséances—that is all Society asks of you; there are some things Society feels it owes to Itself, and this is one of them.

Of course, whether you come back again or not, can be nobody's business.

Society can swear to the fact of the hall-door.

Madame Mila was attentive to the matter of the hall-door; indeed, abhorred a scandal; it always made everything uncomfortable. She was always careful of appearances. Even if you called on her unexpectedly, Des Gommeux was always in an inner room, unseen, and you could declare with a clear conscience that you never found him alone with her, were the oath ever required in any drawing-room in defence of her character. Of course, you have no sort of business with who or what may be in inner rooms; Society does not require you to search a house as if you were a detective.

If you can say airily, "Oh, there's nothing in