of the hands, "the sufferings of a woman who is married to a bore. I know of no case more deserving of pity."
"It's always the same," went on his wife, "whenever we go away together. But there are always plenty of pretty women to hang upon his words, Madame Claire, so it really doesn't matter."
"Now there," interrupted Eric with a smile, "there you are wrong. Never in my life have enough pretty women hung upon my words to satisfy me. I should like to see hundreds of them so hanging, and the prettier the better. Inaccuracy," he added, turning to his mother, "is one of Louise's greatest faults."
"Well, Louise," said Madame Claire, putting a hand in one of Eric's, "time was when you led and others followed. You never used to be shy. If you were bored with politics and old silver"
"I'm not shy," her daughter-in-law answered. "I think subjugated would be nearer the mark."
Eric took this up humorously.
"I have subjugated Louise," he said with mock pride. "I'm willing to wager that no other man could have done it under fifteen years, and it has taken me only eight. And I've never once
