other hand. "By God, sir, I would, if they were three and twenty."
I had completely lost my temper. "And if I saw them doing nothing,
while the country was asking for MEN, but writing rotten doggerel
and messing about with girls far beneath them in station, I should
call them the damnedest skunks unskinned!"

He had the decency to rise. "Major Meredyth," said he, "you're
under a terrible misapprehension. You're a military man and must
look at everything from a military point of view. It would be
useless to discuss the philosophy of the situation with you. We're
on different planes."

Just what I said.

"You," said I, "seem to be hovering near Tophet and the Abyss."

"No, no," he answered with an indulgent smile. "You are quoting
Carlyle. You must give him up."

"Damned pro-German, I should think I do," I cried. I had forgotten
where my phrase came from.

"I'm glad to hear it. He's a back-number. I'm a modern. I
represent equilibrium--" He made a little rocking gesture with his
graceful hand. "I am out for Eternal Truth, which I think I
perceive."

"In poor little Phyllis Gedge, I suppose?"

"Why not? Look. I am the son, grandson, great-grandson, of English