leaving sweet thoughts for Mrs Quantock, he would probably be taking
away the brandy bottle for himself. But Georgie knew he was only too
apt to indulge In secret cynicisms and perhaps there was no brandy to
take away by this time ... and lo and behold, he was being cynical
again.

The sun was still hot when, half an hour afterwards, he got into the
open cab which he had ordered to take him to the station to meet Hermy
and Ursy, and he put up his umbrella with its white linen cover, to
shield him from it. He did not take the motor, because either Hermy or
Ursy would have insisted on driving it, and he did not choose to put
himself in their charge. In all the years that he had lived at
Riseholme, he never remembered a time when social events--"work," he
called it--had been so exciting and varied. There were Hermy and Ursy
coming this evening, and Olga Bracely and her husband (Olga Bracely and
Mr Shuttleworth sounded vaguely improper: Georgie rather liked that)
were coming tomorrow, and there was Lucia's garden-party the day after,
and every day there was to be a lesson from the Guru, so that God alone
knew when Georgie would have a moment to himself for his embroidery or
to practise the Mozart trio. But with his hair chestnut-coloured to the
very roots, and his shining nails, and his comfortable boots, he felt
extremely young and fit for anything. Soon, under the influence of the
new creed with its postures and breathings, he would feel younger and
more vigorous yet.

But he wished that it had been he who had found this pamphlet on
Eastern philosophies, which had led Mrs Quantock to make the inquiries
that had resulted in the epiphany of the Guru. Of course when once
Lucia had heard about it, she was certain to constitute herself head
and leader of the movement, and it was really remarkable how completely