'Speaking of America,' said Mrs. Le Roy Jennings a few minutes later,
Johnston Smyth having sat down in order to do justice to the wine of
Portugal, 'she is in the very vanguard of progress. Women have
achieved an independence there unknown elsewhere in the world.'

'That is true,' said Lady Durwent, who knew nothing whatever about it.

'You are right,' said Madame Carlotti.

'The other day in Paris I heard an American woman whistling. "Have you
lost your dog?" I asked. "No," she says; "my husband."'

A chorus of approval greeted this malicious sally, followed by the
retailing of various anti-American anecdotes that made up in sting what
they lacked in delicacy. These showed no signs of abatement until,
slightly nettled, Selwyn put in an oar.

'I had hoped,' he said, 'to find some illuminating points in the
conversation to-night. But it seems as if you treat not only your own
country in a spirit of caricature, but mine as well. We are a very
young race, and we have the faults of youth; but, then, youth always
has a future. It was a sort of post-graduate course to come to England
and Europe to absorb some of the lore--or isn't it one of your poets
who speaks of "The Spoils of Time"? Your past is so rich that
naturally we look to you and Europe for the fundamental things of
civilisation.'

'And what have you found?' asked Elise Durwent.

'Well,' said the American, 'much to admire--and much to deplore.'