m, that's it. Of
course the girl is trying to get hold of him, and she might do worse,
but so surely as my name is Honoria Bingham I will put a spoke in her
wheel before she has done. Bah! and they laugh at the power of women
when a man like Geoffrey, with all the world to lose, grows love-sick
for a pretty face; it is a _very_ pretty face by the way. I do believe
that if I were out of the way he would marry her. But I am in the way,
and mean to stay there. Well, it is time to dress for dinner. I only
hope that old clown of a clergyman won't do something ridiculous. I
shall have to apologise for him."

Dinner-time had come; it was a quarter past eight, and the room was
filled with highly bred people all more or less distinguished. Mr.
Granger had duly appeared, arrayed in his threadbare black coat,
relieved, however, by a pair of Geoffrey's dress shoes. As might have
been expected, the great folk did not seem surprised at his presence,
or to take any particular notice of his attire, the fact being that such
people never are surprised. A Zulu chief in full war dress would only
excite a friendly interest in their breasts. On the contrary they
recognised vaguely that the old gentleman was something out of the
common run, and as such worth cultivating. Indeed the Prime Minister,
hearing casually that he was a clergyman from Wales, asked to be
introduced to him, and at once fell into conversation about tithes, a
subject of which Mr. Granger was thoroughly master.

Presently they went down to dinner, Mr. Granger escorting the wife
of the Bishop, a fat and somewhat apoplectic lady, blessed with an
excellent appetite. On his other side was the Prime Minister, and
between the two he got on very well, especially after a few glasses of
wine. Indeed, both the apoplectic wife of the Bishop and the head of Her
Majesty's Government were subsequently heard to declare that Mr. Granger
was a very entertaining person. To the former he related with much
detail how his daughter had saved their host's life, and to the latter
he discoursed upon the subject of tithes, favouring him with his ideas
of what legislation was necessary to meet the question. Somewhat to his
own surprise, he found that his views were received with attention and
even with respect. In the main, too, they received the support of the
Bishop, who likewise felt keenly on the subject of tithes. Never before
had Mr. Granger had such a good dinner nor mingled with company so