that "the play's the thing," and was much too interested in the plot to
interfere with it. She attended the usual round of dinners, teas and tennis
parties, that are part of the system by which the English keep alive
their courage, and growing after a while a little tired of trivialty, she tried
to scandalize Sialpore by inviting Tom Tripe to her own garden party,
successfully overruling Tripe's objections.

"Between you and I and the gate-post, lady, they don't hanker for my
society. If somebody--especially colonels, or a judge maybe,--wanted
to borrow a horse from the maharajah's stable,--or perhaps they'd like
a file o' men to escort a picnic in the hills,--then it's 'Oh, hello, good
morning, Mr. Tripe. How's the dog this morning? And oh, by the way--'
Then I know what's coming an' what I can do for 'em I do, for I confess,
lady, that I hanker for a little bit o' flattery and a few words o' praise I'm
not entitled to. I don't covet any man's money--or at least not enough
to damn me into hell on that account. Finding's keeping, and a bet's
a bet, but I don't covet money more than that dog o' mine covets fleas.
He likes to scratch 'em when he has 'em. Me the same; I can use
money with the next man, his or mine. But I wouldn't go to hell for money
any more than Trotters would for fleas, although, mind you, I'm not saying
Trotters hasn't got fleas. He has 'em, same as hell's most folks' destiny.
But when it comes to praise that ain't due me, lady, I'm like Trotters
with another dog's bone--I've simply got to have it, reason or no reason.
A common ordinary bone with meat on it is just a meal. Praise I've
earned is nothing wonderful. But praise I don't deserve is stolen fruit,
and that's the sweetest. Now, if I was to come to your party I'd get no
praise, ma'am. I'd be doing right by you, but they'd say I didn't know
my place, and by and by they'd prove it to me sharp and sneery. I'll
be a coward to stop away, but--'Sensible man,' they'll say. 'Knows when
he isn't wanted.' You see, ma'am, yours is the only house in Sialpore