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lper it would be a pleasure to work on that infernal Family History which was now such a bitter toil。 But the day…dream passed。 He knew perfectly well that he had not the courage to dismiss Alice。 In the hands of that calm…eyed girl he was as putty。 She exercised over him the hypnotic spell a lion…tamer exercises over his little playmates。
〃We have been pals for years；〃 said George 〃Billie is one of the best fellows in the world。〃
〃A charming girl。〃
〃She would give her last nickel to anyone that asked for it。〃
〃Delightful！〃
〃And as straight as a string。 No one ever said a word against Billie。〃
〃No？〃
〃She may go out to lunch and supper and all that kind of thing； but there's nothing to that。〃
〃Nothing！〃 agreed the earl warmly。 〃Girls must eat！〃
〃They do。 You ought to see them。〃
〃A little harmless relaxation after the fatigue of the day！〃
〃Exactly。 Nothing more。〃
Lord Marshmoreton felt more drawn than ever to this sensible young mansensible； at least； on all points but one。 It was a pity they could not see eye to eye on what was and what was not suitable in the matter of the love…affairs of the aristocracy。
〃So you are a poser； Mr。 Bevan？〃 he said affably。
〃Yes。〃
Lord Marshmoreton gave a little sigh。 〃It's a long time since I went to see a musical performance。 More than twenty years。 When I was up at Oxford； and for some years afterwards； I was a great theatre…goer。 Never used to miss a first night at the Gaiety。 Those were the days of Nellie Farren and Kate Vaughan。 Florence St。 John； too。 How excellent she was in Faust Up To Date！ But we missed Nellie Farren。 Meyer Lutz was the Gaiety poser then。 But a good deal of water has flowed under the bridge since those days。 I don't suppose you have ever heard of Meyer Lutz？〃
〃I don't think I have。〃
〃Johnnie Toole was playing a piece called Partners。 Not a good play。 And the Yeoman of the Guard had just been produced at the Savoy。 That makes it seem a long time ago； doesn't it？ Well； I mustn't take up all your time。 Good…bye； Mr。 Bevan。 I am glad to have had the opportunity of this little talk。 The Regal Theatre； I think you said； is where your piece is playing？ I shall probably be going to London shortly。 I hope to see it。〃 Lord Marshmoreton rose。 〃As regards the other matter； there is no hope of inducing you to see the matter in the right light？〃
〃We seem to disagree as to which is the right light。〃
〃Then there is nothing more to be said。 I will be perfectly frank with you； Mr。 Bevan。 I like you 。 。 。〃
〃The feeling is quite mutual。〃
〃But I don't want you as a son…in…law。 And； dammit；〃 exploded Lord Marshmoreton； 〃I won't have you as a son…in…law！ Good God！ do you think that you can harry and assault my son Percy in the heart of Piccadilly and generally make yourself a damned nuisance and then settle down here without an invitation at my very gates and expect to be weled into the bosom of the family？ If I were a young man 。 。 。〃
〃I thought we had agreed that you were a young man。〃
〃Don't interrupt me！〃
〃I only said 。 。 。〃
〃I heard what you said。 Flattery！〃
〃Nothing of the kind。 Truth。〃
Lord Marshmoreton melted。 He smiled。 〃Young idiot！〃
〃We agree there all right。〃
Lord Marshmoreton hesitated。 Then with a rush he unbosomed himself； and made his own position on the matter clear。
〃I know what you'll be saying to yourself the moment my back is turned。 You'll be calling me a stage heavy father and an old snob and a number of other things。 Don't interrupt me； dammit！ You will； I tell you！ And you'll be wrong。 I don't think the Marshmoretons are fenced off from the rest of the world by some sort of divinity。 My sister does。 Percy does。 But Percy's an ass！ If ever you find yourself thinking differently from my son Percy； on any subject； congratulate yourself。 You'll be right。〃
〃But 。 。 。〃
〃I know what you're going to say。 Let me finish。 If I were the only person concerned； I wouldn't stand in Maud's way； whoever she wanted to marry； provided he was a good fellow and likely to make her happy。 But I'm not。 There's my sister Caroline。 There's a whole crowd of silly； cackling foolsmy sistersmy sons…in…lawall the whole pack of them！ If I didn't oppose Maud in this damned infatuation she's got for youif I stood by and let her marry youwhat do you think would happen to me？I'd never have a moment's peace！ The whole gabbling pack of them would be at me； saying I was to blame。 There would be arguments； discussions； family councils！ I hate arguments！ I loathe discussions！ Family councils make me sick！ I'm a peaceable man； and I like a quiet life！ And； damme； I'm going to have it。 So there's the thing for you in letters of one syllable。 I don't object to you personally； but I'm not going to have you bothering me like this。 I'll admit freely that； since I have made your acquaintance； I have altered the unfavourable opinion I had formed of you from…from hearsay。 。 。〃
〃Exactly the same with me；〃 said George。 〃You ought never to believe what people tell you。 Everyone told me your middle name was Nero； and that。 。 。〃
〃Don't interrupt me！〃
〃I wasn't。 I was just pointing out 。 。 。〃
〃Be quiet！ I say I have changed my opinion of you to a great extent。 I mention this unofficially； as a matter that has no bearing on the main issue； for； as regards any idea you may have of inducing me to agree to your marrying my daughter； let me tell you that I am unalterably opposed to any such thing！〃
〃Don't say that。〃
〃What the devil do you meandon't say that！ I do say that！ It is out of the question。 Do you understand？ Very well； then。 Good morning。〃
The door closed。 Lord Marshmoreton walked away feeling that he had been mendably stern。 George filled his pipe and sat smoking thoughtfully。 He wondered what Maud was doing at that moment。
Maud at that moment was greeting her brother with a bright smile； as he limped downstairs after a belated shave and change of costume。
〃Oh； Percy； dear；〃 she was saying； 〃I had quite an adventure this morning。 An awful tramp followed me for miles！ Such a horrible…looking brute。 I was so frightened that I had to ask a curate in the next village to drive him away。 I did wish I had had you there to protect me。 Why don't you e out with me sometimes when I take a country walk？ It really isn't safe for me to be alone！〃
CHAPTER 17。
The gift of hiding private emotion and keeping up appearances before strangers is not； as many suppose； entirely a product of our modern civilization。 Centuries before we were born or thought of there was a widely press…agented boy in Sparta who even went so far as to let a fox gnaw his tender young stomach without permitting the disfort inseparable from such a proceeding to interfere with either his facial expression or his flow of small talk。 Historians have handed it down that； even in the later stages of the meal； the polite lad continued to be the life and soul of the party。 But； while this feat may be said to have established a record never subsequently lowered； there is no doubt that almost every day in modem times men and women are performing similar and scarcely less impressive miracles of self…restraint。 Of all the qualities which belong exclusively to Man and are not shared by the lower animals； this surely is the one which marks him off most sharply from the beasts of the field。 Animals care nothing about keeping up appearances。 Observe Bertram the Bull when things are not going just as he could wish。 He stamps。 He snorts。 He paws the ground。 He throws back his head and bellows。 He is upset； and he doesn't care who knows it。 Instances could be readily multiplied。 Deposit a charge of shot in some outlying section of Thomas the Tiger； and note the effect。 Irritate Wilfred the Wasp； or stand behind Maud the Mule and prod her with a pin。 There is not an animal on the list who has even a rudimentary sense of the social amenities； and it is this more than anything else which should make us proud that we are human beings on a loftier plane of development。
In the days which followed Lord Marshmoreton's visit to George at the cottage； not a few of the occupants of Belpher Castle had their mettle sternly tested in this respect； and it is a pleasure to be able to record that not one of them failed to e through the ordeal with success。 The general public； as represented by the uncles； cousins； and aunts who had descended on the place to help Lord Belpher celebrate his ing…of…age； had not a notion that turmoil lurked behind the smooth fronts of at least half a dozen of those whom they met in the course of the daily round。
Lord Belpher； for example； though he limped rather painfully； showed nothing of the baffled fury which was reducing his weight at the rate of ounces a day。 His uncle Francis； the Bishop； when he tackled him in the garden on the subject of Intemperancefor Uncle Francis； like thousands of others； had taken it for granted； on reading the report of the encounter with the policeman and Percy's subsequent arrest； that the affair had been the result of a drunken outbursthad no inkling of the volcanic emotions that seethed in his nephew's bosom。 He came away from the interview； indeed； feeling that the boy had listened attentively and with a being regret； and that there was hope for him after all； provided that he fought the impulse。 He little knew that； but for the conventions （which frown on the practice of murdering bishops）； Percy would gladly have strangled him with his bare hands and jumped upon the remains。
Lord Belpher's case； inasmuch as he took himself extremely seriously and was not one of those who can extract humour even from their own misfortunes； was perhaps the hardest which es under our notice； but his sister Maud was also experiencing mental disquietude of no mean order。 Everything had gone wrong with Maud。 Barely a mile separated her from George； that essential link in her chain of munication with Geoffrey Raymond； but so thickly did it bristle with obstacles and dangers that it might have been a mile of No Man's Land。 Twice； since the occasion when the discovery of Lord Marshmoreton at the cottage had caused her to abandon her purpose of going in and explaining everything to George； had she attempted to make the journey； and each time some trifling； maddening accident had brought about failure。 Once； just as she was starting； her aunt Augusta had insisted on joining her for what she described as 〃a nice long walk〃； and the second time； when she was within a bare hundred yards of her objective； some sort of a cousin popped out from nowhere and forced his loathsome pany on her。
Foiled in this fashion； she had fallen back in desperation on her second line of attack。 She had written a note to George； explaining the whole situation in good； clear phrases and begging him as a man of proved chivalry to help her。 It had taken up much of one afternoon； this note； for it was not easy to write； and it had resulted in nothing。 She had given it to Albert to deliver and Albert had returned empty…handed。
〃The gentleman said there was no answer； m'lady！〃
〃No answer！ But there must be an answer！〃
〃No answer； m'lady。 Those was his very words；〃 stoutly maintained the black…souled boy； who had destroyed the letter within two minutes after it had been handed to him。 He had not even bothered to read it。 A deep； dangerous； dastardly stripling this； who fought to win and only to win。 The ticket marked 〃R。 Byng〃 was in his pocket； and in his ruthless heart a firm resolve that R。 Byng and no other should have the benefit of his assistance。
Maud could not understand it。 That is to say； she resolutely kept herself from accepting the only explanation of the episode that seemed possible。 In black and white she had asked George to go to London and see Geoffrey and arrange for the passagethrough himself as a sort of clearing…houseof letters between Geoffrey and herself。 She had felt from the first that such a request should be made by her in person and not through the medium of writing； but surely it was incredible that a man like George； who had been through so much for her and whose only reason for being in the neighbourhood was to help her； could have coldly refused without even a word。 And yet what else was she to think？ Now； more