"You had better ask her," Machiavel continued, "or make the best of your time now. What says the bard? 'Nunc vino pellite curas, Cras ingens iterabimus aequor,'" and the Bacchanalian, quoting the above with a House of Commons air, tossed off nearly a thimbleful of wine with an immense flourish of his glass.

"You had better ask her," Machiavel continued, "or make the best of it now," and he tossed back nearly a thimbleful of wine with an immense flourish of his glass.
