"I'm afraid I've spoiled your evening."

"Not at all. I like a good feed. It does one good."

Mavis would have been hard put to it to repress a smile at this
remark, had she not suddenly remembered how she had left her purse
in the pocket of the frock that she had left behind her at Mrs
Hamilton's; she realised that she would have to walk to Mrs
Bilkins's. The fact of having no money to pay a 'bus fare reminded
her how the cab was waiting outside.

"You've forgotten your cab," she remarked.

"What cab?"

"The one you told to wait outside."

"What of it?"

"Won't he charge?"

"Of course. What of it?"

"What an extravagance!" she commented.

She could say no more; a procession of dishes commenced: meats,
ices, sweetmeats, fruit, wines, coffee, liqueurs; all of which were
refused, first by Mavis, then by Windebank.

Mavis, who had been accustomed to consider carefully the spending of