for granted--as if he knew about it already. In fact, on the way from his
place to mine, I no more led him (as I sense it now) than he led me. He
hesitated at no corner or crossing. 'I am an old Churchtonian,' he said
incidentally--as if he knew everything and everybody. He also mentioned,
just as incidentally, that he had a brother-in-law on our board of
trustees. Of course I promised to go round and see him. I presume that I
shall drop in on him some time or other. Come down here, and you shall have
one more house of call.

"He stopped for a moment in front of my diggings, taking my hand to say
goodnight and taking his own time in dropping it. Enough is enough. 'You
have the small change needed for paying your way through society,' he said,
with a sort of smile. 'I must cultivate a few little arts myself,' he went
on; 'they seem necessary in some houses. But I'm glad, after all, that I
didn't remember to-night that a tribute was likely to be levied; it would
have taken away my appetite and have made the whole evening a misery in
advance. As things went, I had, on the whole, a pleasant time. Only, I
understood that you sang; and I was rather hoping to hear you.' 'I do best
with my regular accompanist,' I returned--meaning you, of course. I hope
you don't mind being degraded to that level. 'And your regular accompanist
is not--not----?' 'Is miles away,' I replied. 'A hundred and fifty of
them,' I might have added, if I had chosen to be specific. Now, if he had
wanted to hear me, why hadn't he asked? He would have needed only to second
Mrs. Phillips herself; and there he was, just on the other side of me. In
consequence of his reticence I was driven--or drove myself--to blank verse.
And that other man, the one in the chair; he may have had his expectations
too. Arthur, Arthur, try to grasp the situation! You must come down here,
and you must bring your hands with you. Tell the bishop and the precentor
that you are needed elsewhere. They will let you off. Of course I know that
a village choir needs every tenor it can get--and keep; but come. If they