They were at the grand party given last night by Mr.and Mrs.Birtwell.You were among the guests, Mrs.Craig ?" The lady addressed bowed her affirmative.
"A perfect jam, I suppose ?" "Yes." "Who were there?
But I needn't ask.

All the world and his wife, of course, little bugs and big bugs.

How was the entertainment ?" "Splendid! I never saw such a profusion of everything." "Fools make feasts for wise men to eat," snapped out the sharp voice of a lady whose vinegar face gave little promise of enjoyment of any kind.
"Nobody thinks any more of them for it.

Better have given the money to some charity.

There's want and suffering enough about, Heaven knows." "I don't imagine that the charity fund has suffered anything in consequence of Mr.Birtwell's costly entertainment," replied Mr.Craig.
"If the money spent for last night's feast had not gone to the wine-merchant and the caterer, it would have remained as it was." The lady with the vinegar face said something about the Dives who have their good things here, adding, with a zest in her voice, that "Riches, thank God! can't be taken over to the other side, and your nabobs will be no better off after they die than the commonest beggars." "That will depend on something more than the money-aspect of the case," said Mr.Craig.