jewelled watch, as Sir Charles came in after his visit to Hyacinth. 'And
we have a new cook, and I specially, _most_ specially told her to have
dinner ready punctually at half-past seven! This world is indeed a place
of trial!'

Sir Charles's natural air of command seemed to disappear in the presence
of Lady Cannon. He murmured a graceful apology, saying he would not
dress. Nothing annoyed, even shocked her more than to see her husband
dining opposite her in a frock-coat. However, of two evils she chose the
less. They went in to dinner.

'I haven't had the opportunity yet of telling you my opinion of the play
this afternoon,' she said. 'I found it interesting, and I wonder I
hadn't seen it before.'

'You sent back our stalls for the first night,' remarked Sir Charles.

'Certainly I did. I dislike seeing a play until I have seen in the
papers whether it is a success or not.'

'Those newspaper fellows aren't always right,' said Sir Charles.

'Perhaps not, but at least they can tell you whether the thing is a
success. I should be very sorry to be seen at a failure. Very
sorry indeed.'

She paused, and then went on--

'_James Wade's Trouble_ has been performed three hundred times, so it
must be clever. In my opinion, it must have done an immense amount of