"Pardon me," said he, "I had. But it is always startling to realise a
dream." The Countess looked at Claudius rather inquiringly; perhaps she
had not expected he was the sort of man to begin an acquaintance by
making compliments. However, she said nothing, and he continued, "Do you
not always find it so?"

"The bearded hermit is no duffer," thought Mr. Barker. "He will say
grace over the whole barrel of pork."

"Ah! I have few dreams," replied the Countess, "and when I do have any,
I never realise them. I am a very matter-of-fact person."

"What matters the fact when you are the person, Madam?" retorted
Claudius, fencing for a discussion of some kind.

"Immense," thought Mr. Barker, changing one leg over the other and
becoming interested.

"Does that mean anything, or is it only a pretty paradox?" asked the
lady, observing that Claudius had thrown himself boldly into a crucial
position. Upon his answer would probably depend her opinion of him as
being either intelligent or _banal_ It is an easy matter to frame
paradoxical questions implying a compliment, but it is no light task to
be obliged to answer them oneself. Claudius was not thinking of
producing an effect, for the fascination of the dark woman was upon him,
and the low, strange voice bewitched him, so he said what came
uppermost.

"Yes," said he, "there are persons whose lives may indeed be matters of