As for Rowland, the spirit of kindly mirth prompted him to propose the health of this useful old gentleman, as the effective author of their pleasure.

A moment later he wished he had held his tongue, for although the toast was drunk with demonstrative good-will, the Cavaliere received it with various small signs of eager self-effacement which suggested to Rowland that his diminished gentility but half relished honors which had a flavor of patronage.

To perform punctiliously his mysterious duties toward the two ladies, and to elude or to baffle observation on his own merits--this seemed the Cavaliere's modest programme.

Rowland perceived that Mrs.Light, who was not always remarkable for tact, seemed to have divined his humor on this point.
She touched her glass to her lips, but offered him no compliment and immediately gave another direction to the conversation.

He had brought no guitar, so that when the feast was over there was nothing to hold the little group together.