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keep to our right sexes。 I kept getting up in the middle of a meal； and
throwing out food to the birds； you see； the chief thing that one
remembers of St。 Francis is that he was fond of the birds。 Every one
was so stupid about it； and thought that I was the old man who feeds the
sparrows in the Tuileries Gardens。 Then Colonel Pentley was the Jolly
Miller on the banks of Dee。〃
〃How on earth did he do that？〃 asked Bertie van Tahn。
〃 'He laughed and sang from morn till night；' 〃 explained Blanche。
〃How dreadful for the rest of you；〃 said Bertie； 〃and anyway he
wasn't on the banks of Dee。〃
〃One had to imagine that；〃 said Blanche。
〃If you could imagine all that you might as well imagine cattle on
the further bank and keep on calling them home； Mary…fashion； across
the sands of Dee。 Or you might change the river to the Yarrow and
imagine it was on the top of you； and say you were Willie； or whoever it
was； drowned in Yarrow。〃
〃Of course it's easy to make fun of it；〃 said Blanche sharply； 〃but it
was extremely interesting and amusing。 The prize was rather a fiasco；
though。 You see； Millie Matheson said her character was Lady
Bountiful； and as she was our hostess of course we all had to vote that
she had carried out her character better than anyone。 Otherwise I ought
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to have got the prize。〃
〃It's quite an idea for a Christmas party；〃 said Lady Blonze； 〃we
must certainly do it here。〃
Sir Nicholas was not so enthusiastic。 〃Are you quite sure； my dear；
that you're wise in doing this thing？〃 he said to his wife when they were
alone together。 〃It might do very well at the Mathesons； where they
had rather a staid； elderly house…party； but here it will be a different
matter。 There is the Durmot flapper； for instance； who simply stops at
nothing； and you know what Van Tahn is like。 Then there is Cyril
Skatterly； he has madness on one side of his family and a Hungarian
grandmother on the other。〃
〃I don't see what they could do that would matter；〃 said Lady
Blonze。
〃It's the unknown that is to be dreaded；〃 said Sir Nicholas。 〃If
Skatterly took it into his head to represent a Bull of Bashan； well； I'd
rather not be here。〃
〃Of course we shan't allow any Bible characters。 Besides； I don't
know what the Bulls of Bashan really did that was so very dreadful； they
just came round and gaped； as far as I remember。〃
〃My dear； you don't know what Skatterly's Hungarian imagination
mightn't read into the part； it would be small satisfaction to say to him
afterwards： 'You've behaved as no Bull of Bashan would have behaved。'
〃
〃Oh； you're an alarmist；〃 said Lady Blonze； I particularly want to
have this idea carried out。 It will be sure to be talked about a lot。〃
〃That is quite possible；〃 said Sir Nicholas。
* * * *
Dinner that evening was not a particularly lively affair； the strain of
trying to impersonate a self… imposed character or to glean hints of identity
from other people's conduct acted as a check on the natural festivity of
such a gathering。 There was a general feeling of gratitude and
acquiescence when good…natured Rachel Klammerstein suggested that
there should be an hour or two's respite from 〃the game〃 while they all
listened to a little piano…playing after dinner。 Rachel's love of piano
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music was not indiscriminate； and concentrated itself chiefly on
selections rendered by her idolised offspring； Moritz and Augusta； who；
to do them justice； played remarkably well。
The Klammersteins were deservedly popular as Christmas guests；
they gave expensive gifts lavishly on Christmas Day and New Year； and
Mrs。 Klammerstein had already dropped hints of her intention to present
the prize for the best enacted character in the game competition。
Every one had brightened at this prospect； if it had fallen to Lady Blonze；
as hostess； to provide the prize； she would have considered that a little
souvenir of some twenty or twenty…five shillings' value would meet the
case； whereas coming from a Klammerstein source it would certainly
run to several guineas。
The close time for impersonation efforts came to an end with the
final withdrawal of Moritz and Augusta from the piano。 Blanche
Boveal retired early； leaving the room in a series of laboured leaps that
she hoped might be recognised as a tolerable imitation of Pavlova。
Vera Durmot； the sixteen…year…old flapper； expressed her confident
opinion that the performance was intended to typify Mark Twain's
famous jumping frog； and her diagnosis of the case found general
acceptance。 Another guest to set an example of early bed…going was
Waldo Plubley； who conducted his life on a minutely regulated system
of time…tables and hygienic routine。 Waldo was a plump； indolent
young man of seven…and…twenty； whose mother had early in his life
decided for him that he was unusually delicate； and by dint of much
coddling and home…keeping had succeeded in making him physically
soft and mentally peevish。 Nine hours' unbroken sleep； preceded by
elaborate breathing exercises and other hygienic ritual； was among the
indispensable regulations which Waldo imposed on himself； and there
were innumerable small observances which he exacted from those who
were in any way obliged to minister to his requirements； a special teapot
for the decoction of his early tea was always solemnly handed over to
the bedroom staff of any house in which he happened to be staying。
No one had ever quite mastered the mechanism of this precious vessel；
but Bertie van Tahn was responsible for the legend that its spout had to
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be kept facing north during the process of infusion。
On this particular night the irreducible nine hours were severely
mutilated by the sudden and by no means noiseless incursion of a
pyjama…clad figure into Waldo's room at an hour midway between
midnight and dawn。
〃What is the matter？ What are you looking for？〃 asked the
awakened and astonished Waldo； slowly recognising Van Tahn； who
appeared to be searching hastily for something he had lost。
〃Looking for sheep；〃 was the reply。
〃Sheep？〃 exclaimed Waldo。
〃Yes； sheep。 You don't suppose I'm looking for giraffes； do you？〃
〃I don't see why you should expect to find either in my room；〃
retorted Waldo furiously。
〃I can't argue the matter at this hour of the night；〃 said Bertie； and
began hastily rummaging in the chest of drawers。 Shirts and underwear
went flying on to the floor。
〃There are no sheep here； I tell you；〃 screamed Waldo。
〃I've only got your word for it；〃 said Bertie； whisking most of the
bedclothes on to the floor； 〃if you weren't concealing something you
wouldn't be so agitated。〃
Waldo was by this time convinced that Van Tahn was raving mad；
and made an anxious； effort to humour hi