"What's that scent you've got on?" asked Rhadamanthus.
"Bouquet du diable," said she. (I had never heard of the perfume
before.) "Isn't it sweet?"
"I haven't smelt it since I was a boy," sighed Rhadamanthus.
"Poor old thing," said Dolly. "I'm not going to read all this,
you know." And, with a somewhat contemptuous smile, she walked
back to her chair. "They ought to be ashamed of themselves," she
added, as she sat down. "It's just because I'm not a fright."
"Aren't you a fright?" asked Rhadamanthus. "Where are my
spectacles?"
He put them on and looked at Dolly.
"I must go in, you know," said Dolly, smiling at Rhadamanthus.
"My husband has gone in!"
"I shouldn't have thought you'd consider that conclusive," said
he, with a touch of satire in his tone.
"Don't be horrid," said Dolly, pouting.
There was a pause. Rhadamanthus examined Dolly through his
spectacles.
"This is a very painful duty," said he, at last. "I have sat
here for a great many years, and I have seldom had a more painful
duty."
"It's very absurd of you," said Dolly.
"I can't help it, though," said he.
"Do you really mean that I'm not to go in?"
"I do, indeed," said Rhadamanthus.
Dolly rose. She leant her arms on the raised ledge which ran
along the table, and she leant her chin on her hands.
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