Lalage's Lovers Part 16

t.i.therington became visibly embarra.s.sed. He hesitated.

"I rather expected you'd have to," I said.

"It wasn't anything of the slightest importance."

"Selby-Harrison drew it up, I expect."

"So she said. But it didn't matter in the least. If it had been anything that tied us down I shouldn't have signed it."

"You would," I said. "Whatever it was you'd have signed it."

"She rather rushed me. She's a most remarkable young woman. However that's all the better for us. If she's capable of rushing me,"

t.i.therington's chest swelled again as he spoke, "she'll simply make hay of Vittie. It would be worth going to hear her heckling that beast on votes for women. Believe me, he won't like it."

"She had you at a disadvantage," I said. "You hadn't breakfasted."

t.i.therington became suddenly thoughtful.

"I wish I knew more about ordinary law," he said. "I'm all right on Corrupt Practices and that kind of thing, but I don't know the phraseology outside of electioneering. Do you think a Jun. Soph. Ord.

can be any process in a libel action?"

"It might be. Why do you ask?"

"Well, the paper I signed was a sort of agreement to indemnify them in case of proceedings for libel. I signed because I didn't think a girl like that would be likely to say anything which Vittie would regard as a libel. He's a thick-skinned hound."

"She once libelled twenty-three bishops, she and Hilda and Selby-Harrison between them."

"After all," said t.i.therington, "you can say pretty near anything you like at an election. n.o.body minds. I think we're pretty safe. I'll see that anything she says at our meetings is kept out of the papers, and she won't get the chance of making regular speeches at Vittie's."

I felt quite sorry for t.i.therington. The interview with Lalage had evidently been even more drastic than I expected.

"Perhaps," I said soothingly, "they'll give her six weeks for the Jun.

Soph. Ord., whatever it is, and then the whole election will be over before she gets out."

"We can't allow that," said t.i.therington. "It would be a downright scandal to subject a girl like that--why, she's quite young and--and actually beautiful."

"We must hope that the Puffin may prove, as she expects, to be a disguised lamb."

"I wish I knew who he is. I might get at him."

"It's too late to do anything now," I said, "but I'll try and find out in the course of the morning. If I can't, we'll get it all in the evening papers. They're sure to report a case of the sort pretty fully."

I left t.i.therington and walked across toward the club. I met the Archdeacon in St. Stephen's Green. I might, and under ordinary circ.u.mstances I should, have slipped past him without stopping, for I do not think he saw me. But I was anxious about Lalage and I thought it likely that he would have some news of her. I hailed him and shook hands warmly.

"Up for a holiday?" I asked.

"No," said the Archdeacon. "I have eight meetings to attend to-day."

"I mustn't keep you then. How is everybody at home? Canon Beresford and Lalage quite well?"

"I saw Lalage Beresford this morning. I was pa.s.sing through college on my way to one of my meetings and I saw her standing outside the big hall. She's in her first junior sophister examination to-day."

"Ord?" I said.

"What?"

"Ord?" I repeated. "You said Jun. Soph., didn't you?"

"I said junior sophister."

"Quite so, and it would be Ord., wouldn't it?"

"It's an ordinary, if that's what you mean."

"An ordinary," I said, "is, I suppose, an examination of a commonplace kind."

"It's one that you must get through, not an honour examination."

"I'm so glad I met you. You've relieved my mind immensely. I was afraid it might be an indictable offence. Without your help I should never have guessed!"

The Archdeacon looked at me suspiciously.

"I hope she'll pa.s.s," he said, "but I'm rather doubtful."

"Oh, she'll pa.s.s all right, she and Hilda. Selby-Harrison may possibly be stuck."

"She's very weak in astronomy."

"Still," I said, "the Puffin is a perfect lamb. I think we may count on that."

The Archdeacon eyed me even more suspiciously than before. I could see that he thought I had been drinking heavily.

"t.i.therington told me that about the Puffin," I said. "He wanted to bail her out. He'll be just as glad as I am when he hears the truth."

The Archdeacon held out his hand stiffly. I do not blame him in the least for wanting to get away from me. A church dignitary has to consider appearances, and it does not do to stand talking to an intoxicated man in a public street, especially early in the day.

"I think we may take it for granted," I said, "that the Puffin is the man who sets the paper in astronomy."

The Archdeacon left me abruptly, without shaking hands. I lit a cigarette and thought with pleasure of the careful and sympathetic way in which he would break the sad news of my failing to Lord Thormanby.

When I reached the club I despatched four telegrams. The first was to t.i.therington.

"No further cause for anxiety. Jun. Soph. Ord. not a crime but a college examination. The Puffin probably the Astronomer Royal, but some uncertainty prevails on this point. Shall see lady this afternoon and complete arrangements."

I knew that the last sentence would annoy t.i.therington. I put it in for that purpose. t.i.therington had wantonly annoyed me.

My other three telegrams were all to Lalage. I addressed one to the rooms of the Elizabethan Society, one to 175 Trinity College, which was, I recollected, the alternative address of the _Anti-Tommy Rot Gazette_, and one to Trinity Hall, where Lalage resided. In this way I hoped to make sure of catching her. I invited her, Hilda, and Selby-Harrison to take tea with me at five o'clock in my hotel. I supposed that by that time the Jun. Soph. Ord. would have run its course. I wished to emphasize the fact that I wanted Lalage to bring Selby-Harrison, whom I had never seen. I underlined his name; but the hall porter to whom I gave the telegram told me that the post-office regulations do not allow the underlining of words. If t.i.therington succeeds in making me a Member of Parliament, I shall ask the Postmaster-General some nasty questions on this point. It seems to me a vexatious limitation of the rights of the public.