"Wyllis, I leave it to your sovereign power of reason to
decide whether it isn't easier to stay up all night than to get up
at three in the morning. To get up at three, think what that
means! No, sir, I prefer to keep my vigil and then get into a
sleeper."

"But what do you want with the Norwegians? I thought you were
tired of dancing."

"So I am, with some people. But I want to see a Norwegian
dance, and I intend to. Come, Wyllis, you know how seldom it is
that one really wants to do anything nowadays. I wonder when I
have really wanted to go to a party before. It will be something
to remember next month at Newport, when we have to and don't want
to. Remember your own theory that contrast is about the only thing
that makes life endurable. This is my party and Mr. Lockhart's;
your whole duty tomorrow night will consist in being nice to the
Norwegian girls. I'll warrant you were adept enough at it once.
And you'd better be very nice indeed, for if there are many such
young Valkyries as Eric's sister among them, they would simply tie
you up in a knot if they suspected you were guying them."

Wyllis groaned and sank back into the hammock to consider his
fate, while his sister went on.

"And the guests, Mr. Lockhart, did they accept?"

Lockhart took out his knife and began sharpening it on the sole of
his plowshoe.