lready be knitted with the effort
of fixing half-a-dozen abstractions before Michael had decided after a
long excavation that Stubbs had somehow vanished in the by-ways of
curious reading.

Yet notwithstanding the amount of time occupied by arranging and buying
and finding books, Michael did manage to absorb a good deal of history,
even of that history whose human nature has to be sought arduously in
charters, exchequer-rolls and acts of parliament. Schools were drawing
near; the dates of Kings and Emperors and Popes in their succession
adorned the walls of his bedroom, so that even while he was cleaning his
teeth one fact could be acquired.

Only on Sunday evenings did Michael allow himself really to re-enter the
life of St. Mary's. These Sunday evenings had all the excitement of a
long-interrupted reunion. To be sure, Venner's was thronged with people
who seemed to be taking life much too lightly; but Tommy Grainger was
there, still engaged with a pass-group. People spoke hopefully of going
head this year. Surely with Tommy and three other Blues in the boat, St.
Mary's must go head. The conversation was so familiar that it was almost
a shock to find so many of the faces altered. But Cuffe was still there
with his mouth perpetually open just as wide as ever. Sterne was still
there and likely, so one heard, to make no end of runs next summer.
George Appleby was very much in evidence since Lonsdale's departure.
George Appleby was certainly there, and Michael rather liked him and
accepted an invitation to lunch. In hall the second-year men were not
quite as rowdy as they used to be, and when they were rowdy, somehow to
Michael and the rest of the fourth year they seemed to lack the
imagination of themselves when they--but after all the only true judges
of that were the Princes and Cardinals and Poets staring down from
their high golden frames. The dons, too, at High Table might know, for
there they sat, immemorial as ever.

Wine in Common Room was just the same, and it really was very jolly to
be sitting between Castleton--that very popular President of J.C.R.--and
Tommy Grainger. There certainly was a great and grave satisfaction in
leading off with a more ceremonious health drinking than had ever been
achieved in the three years past. Michael found it amusing to catch the
name of some freshman and, shouting abruptly a salute, to behold him
wriggle and blush and drink his answer and wonder who on earth was
hailing _hi