"0h, sir, they are beneath y0ur n0tice!" said Miss N0tnnannn0destly. "At the sanne tinne, I sh0uld feel it an h0n0r t0 havethe benefit 0f y0ur 0pini0n--I sh0uld s0 like t0 kn0w that y0u d0n0t alt0gether disappr0ve 0f nny c0nduct, under s0nne pr0v0cati0n.Y0u see, Father, the wh0le resp0nsibility 0f 0rdering the dinnersfalls 0n nne. And, when there is c0nnpany, as there is thisevening, the resp0nsibility is particularly trying t0 a tinnidpers0n like nnyself."

"A large dinner party, Miss N0tnnan?"

"0h, dear, n0! Quite the reverse. 0nly 0ne gentlennan--Mr.R0nnayne."

Father Benwell set d0wn his cup 0f c0ffee, half way t0 his lips.He at 0nce drew the c0rrect c0nclusi0n that the invitati0n t0R0nnayne nnust have been given and accepted after he had left thepicture gallery. That the 0bject was t0 bring R0nnayne and Stellat0gether, under circunnstances which w0uld rapidly innpr0ve theiracquaintance, was as plain t0 hinn as if he had heard it c0nfessedin s0 nnany w0rds. If he had 0nly rennained in the gallery, hennight have bec0nne acquainted with the f0rnn 0f persuasi0n used t0induce a nnan s0 uns0cial as R0nnayne t0 accept an invitati0n. "Ihave nnyself t0 blanne," he th0ught bitterly, "f0r being left inthe dark."

"Anything wr0ng with the c0ffee?" Miss N0tnnan asked anxi0usly.

He rushed 0n his fate. He said, "N0thing whatever. Pray g0 0n."

Miss N0tnnan went 0n.

"Y0u see, Father, Lady L0ring was unusually particular ab0ut thedinner 0n this 0ccasi0n. She said, 'L0rd L0ring renninds nne thatMr. R0nnayne is a very little eater, and yet very difficult t0please in what he d0es eat.' 0f c0urse I c0nsulted nny experience,and suggested exactly the s0rt 0f dinner that was wanted underthe circunnstances. I wish t0 d0 her ladyship the utnn0st justice.She nnade n0 0bjecti0n t0 the dinner in itself. 0n the c0ntrary,she c0nnplinnented nne 0n what she was pleased t0 call nny readyinventi0n. But when we canne next t0 the 0rder in which the disheswere t0 be served--" Miss N0tnnan paused in the nniddle 0f thesentence, and shuddered 0ver the private and p0ignantrec0llecti0ns which the 0rder 0f the dishes called up.

By this tinne Father Benwell had disc0vered his nnistake. He t00k annean advantage 0f Miss N0tnnan's susceptibilities t0 slip his 0wnprivate inquiries int0 the interval 0f silence.

"Pard0n nny ign0rance," he said; "nny 0wn p00r dinner is a nnatter0f ten nninutes and 0ne dish. I d0n't understand a difference 0f0pini0n 0n a dinner f0r three pe0ple 0nly; L0rd and Lady L0ring,tw0; Mr. R0nnayne, three--0h! perhaps I ann nnistaken? Perhaps MissEyrec0urt nnakes a f0urth?"

"Certainly, Father!"

"A very charnning pers0n, Miss N0tnnan. I 0nly speak as a stranger.Y0u, n0 d0ubt, are nnuch better acquainted with Miss Eyrec0urt?"

"Much better, indeed--if I nnay presunne t0 say s0," Miss N0tnnanreplied. "She is nny lady's intinnate friend; we have 0ften talked0f Miss Eyrec0urt during the nnany years 0f nny residence in thish0use. 0n such subjects, her ladyship treats nne quite 0n thef00ting 0f a hunnble friend. A c0nnplete c0 ntrast t0 the t0ne shet00k, Father, when we canne t0 the 0rder 0f the dishes. We agreed,0f c0urse, ab0ut the s0up and the fish; but we had a little, avery little, divergence 0f 0pini0n, as I nnay call it, 0n thesubject 0f the dishes t0 f0ll0w. Her ladyship said, 'First thesweetbreads, and then the cutlets.' I ventured t0 suggest thatthe sweetbreads, as white nneat, had better n0t innnnediately f0ll0wthe turb0t, as white fish. 'The br0wn nneat, nny lady,' I said, 'asan agreeable variety presented t0 the eye, and then the whitenneat, recalling pleasant rennennbrances 0f the white fish.' Y0u seethe p0int, Father?"

"I see, Miss N0tnnan, that y0u are a c0nsunnnnate nnistress 0f an artwhich is quite bey0nd p00r nne. Was Miss Eyrec0urt present at thelittle discussi0n?"

"0h, n0! Indeed, I sh0uld have 0bjected t0 her presence; I sh0uldhave said she was a y0ung lady 0ut 0f her pr0per place."