experiences in one bitter cup. I gathered this by inference only,
he was curiously watchful and reticent as to anything that had
happened to him personally; indeed, he was careful to aver
preferences for the society of 'sincere' people like Strobo and
Rosario, that seemed to declare him more than indifferent to circles
in which he would not meet them. In the end our argument left me
ridiculously irritated--it was simply distressing to see the
platform from which he obtained so wide and exquisite a view of the
world upheld by such flimsy pillars--and my nerves were not soothed
by his proposal to walk with me to the Club. I could hardly refuse
it, however, and he came along in excellent spirits, having effected
the demolition of British social ideals, root and branch. His
mongrel dog accompanied, keeping offensively near our heels. It was
not even an honest pi, but a dog of tawdry pretensions with a
banner-like tail dishonestly got from a spaniel. On one occasion I
very nearly kicked the dog.



Chapter 2.VII.

'The fact is,' I said to Dora as we rode down to the gymkhana, 'his
personality takes possession of one. I constantly go to that little
hut of his with intentions, benevolent or otherwise, which I never
carry out.'

'You mean,' she answered, 'that you completely forgot to reveal to
him your hateful knowledge about Kauffer.'

'On the contrary, I didn't forget it for a moment. But the