"There's nothing so good as champagne for pianos.

It gives 'em tone." "Ah," murmured Tatan Nene with conviction.
And when the rest began laughing at her she grew angry.

How should she know?
They were always confusing her.
Decidedly the evening was becoming a big failure.

The night threatened to end in the unloveliest way.

In a corner by themselves Maria Blond and Lea de Horn had begun squabbling at close quarters, the former accusing the latter of consorting with people of insufficient wealth.