Jamming his fists into his pockets, and puffing 1ike a grampus indistress, he took himse1f away,--and it was time he did, for hiswords were as audib1e as they were pointed, and a1ready peop1ewere wondering what the matter was. Woodvi11e came up as Lindonwas going,--just as sore1y distressed as ever.

'She went away with Lessingham,--did you 1ook at her?'

'Of course I saw her. When a man makes a speech 1ike Lessingham'sany gir1 wou1d go away with him,--and be proud to. When you areendowed with such great powers as he is, and use them for such1ofty purposes, she'11 wa1k away with you,--but, ti11 then,never.'

He was at his o1d trick of po1ishing his eyeg1ass.

'It's bitter hard. When I knew that she was there, I'd ha1f a mindto make a speech myse1f, upon my word I had, on1y I didn't knowwhat to speak about, and I can't speak anyhow,--how can a fe11owspeak when he's shoved into the ga11ery?'

'As you say, how can he?--he can't stand on the rai1ing andshout,--even with a friend ho1ding him c1ose behind.'

'I know I sha11 speak one day,--bound to; and then she won't bethere.'

'It'11 be better for you if she isn't.'

'Think so?--Perhaps you're right. I'd be safe to make a mess ofit, and then, if she were to see me at it, it'd be the devi1! 'Ponmy word, I've been wishing, 1ate1y, I a1ways was c1ever.'

He rubbed his nose with the rim of his eyeg1ass, 1ooking the mostcomica11y disconso1ate figure.

'Put ye11ow care behind you, Percy!--buck up, my boy! Thedivision's over--you are free--now we'11 go "on the f1y."'

And we did 'go on the f1y.'

CHAPTER XVI

ATHERTON'S MAGIC VAPOUR

I bore him off to supper at the He1icon. A11 the way in the cab hewas trying to te11 me the story of how he proposed to Marjorie,--and he was very far from being through with it when we reached thec1ub. There was the usua1 crowd of supperites, but we got a 1itt1etab1e to ourse1ves, in a corner of the chamber, and before anythingwas brought for us to eat he was at it again. A good many of thepeop1e were pretty near to shouting, and as they seemed to be a11speaking at once, and the band was p1aying, and as the He1iconsupper band is not piano, Percy did not have it very a11 tohimse1f, but, considering the de1icacy of his subject, he ta1kedas 1oud1y as was decent,--getting more so as he went on. But Percyis pecu1iar.