by A. E. W. Mason and Andrew Lang

“ A poet's tongue wags most indiscreetly. Not that anyone believes those fanciful creatures. A romance of a—a M. Rémond for whom you should have placed money in the sinking South Sea; the Frenchman arriving in London in a hurry; Lady Mary in a hurry arriving in France; a kind of country dance figure of partners crossing. A story indubitably false, to the knowledge of all your ladyship's friends, as I took occasion to say at more than one house where the rumour was put about.'
Lady Oxford had scored the first point in the game, as Wogan reckoned and marked 'Fifteen—love' with chagrin. ”

“ Lady Oxford flirted her fan before her face.
A murmur almost of applause ran from group to group of the company.
Mr. Wogan, who loved the game of tennis, marked 'Fifteen—all.'
At that moment a clock upon the mantelshelf chimed the half-hour. In fifteen minutes the Parson would arrive, and Mr. Wogan had not played his hand. He moved a few yards from the table at which Lord Sidney Beauclerk, with his eyes upon Lady Oxford, was dealing the cards, and stood apart by the empty table, wondering how he should do. ”

“ Mr. Wogan could have laughed. He understood why the Colonel looked so black, why the ballad was so maliciously apt, why my Lord Sidney Beauclerk was coupled with the Parson and the Colonel in the common talk. Her ladyship was taking a new lover. Colonel Montague was the crumpled ribbon that has done good service but is tossed into the cupboard to make way for fresher colours. The ballad was apt indeed. Mr. Wogan's spirits rose with a bound. Sure here was an occasion for picking a quarrel with the Colonel ready to his hand. He bowed very low to her ladyship. Her ladyship went on punting. ”

“ What can he want with me?'
'I misdoubt he was not very well pleased with the ballad, and would have you explain it.'
'Montague,' sneered Mr. Kelly, with a touch of temper; 'I am grieved I missed him.'
'You need not grieve, for you will see him to-night. So there's balm for your grief, and another reason why you should sup with Lady Oxford.'
The Parson stepped out more briskly after that, and Wogan could not refrain from remarking upon his new alacrity.
'It is after all a very human sort of a world, as worlds go,' said he. ”

“ Hilton?' she asked. That was enough for Mr. Wogan. Lady Oxford knew the ballad, and gave it to Lady Mary. Without a doubt she must believe Mr. Kelly supplied Lady Mary with the matter of it. 'Of a truth the ballad will' be tagged with Latin. Sure Lady Mary has scholars enough among her friends who would not let her wit go naked when a scrap of Latin could cover it decently—indeed, too decently at times, for, though we always see the Latin, one is hard put to it now and then to discover the wit. ”

“ A wise leader will ever send out scouts to inspect a dangerous pass. I shall reconnoitre at Lady Oxford's: proper precautions should never be neglected, even in a friendly country. If I do not return, or send, in forty minutes by your watch, you must follow. ”

“ You don't loose your gun at a rabbit when you are stalking a deer. I am not the keeper of secrets, but the King's mere servant, to give knocks and to take them. I write no letters, and none write them to me. ”

“ Wogan turned his pockets inside out.
'Then here are ten guineas. In my belief our luck must be somewhere, if a man would look for it, and it may very well be lurking in the cavern of a dice-box. Lose or win, if you hear nothing of me, you march forwards and occupy Queen's Square in forty minutes. ”

“ Lady Oxford spoke to this paragon, smiled at him, drooped towards him. The Colonel shifted a foot, set his lips tight and frowned.
Wogan placed a hand upon his guide's sleeve.
'Will you tell me, if you please, the name of her ladyship's new friend?'
The young gentleman stared at Wogan.
'Let me perish, Mr. Hilton, but you are strangely out of the fashion. Or is it wit thus to affect an ignorance of our new conqueror, for whom women pine with love and men grow sour with envy? But indeed it is wit—the most engaging pleasantry. 'Twill make your reputation, Mr. ”