"It's a jolly droll story, however you look at it," the Englishman
admitted.

"Nevertheless, it had its tragic side; but that is even more than
ever a secret."

The Englishman looked at me sharply, even gravely; but the veranda is
only dimly illuminated at night, and his scrutiny went unrewarded.

"Eh, well!" said the Russian; "your philosopher has observed that all
mankind loves a lover."

"As all womankind loves a love-story," the Englishman added. "You
ought to be very successful with the ladies,"--turning to me.

"Not inordinately; but I shall not fail to repeat your epigram,"--and
I rose.

My watch told me that it was half after eight; and one does not
receive every day an invitation to a dinner-dance at the Chevy Chase
Club.

I dislike exceedingly to intrude my own personality into this
narrative, but as I was passively concerned, I do not see how I can
avoid it. Besides, being a public man, I am not wholly averse to
publicity; first person, singular, perpendicular, as Thackeray had
it, in type looks rather agreeable to the eye. And I rather believe
that I have a moral to point out and a parable to expound.