as Lonsdale rattled away to her, himself quite unchanged by a
year at Scoone's and a recent failure to enter the Foreign Office.

"I say, this is awfully sporting of you, Mrs. Fane. You know, one feels
fearfully out of it, coming up like this. Terribly old, and all that.
I've been mugging away for the Diplomatic and I've just made an awful
ass of myself. So I thought I wouldn't ask my governor to come up. He's
choking himself to pieces over my career at present, but I've had an
awfully decent offer from a man I know who runs a motor business, and I
don't think I've got the ambassadorial manner, do you? I think I shall
be much better at selling cars, don't you? I say, which balls are you
going to? Because I must buzz round and see about tickets."

Lonsdale's last question seemed to demand an answer, and Mrs. Fane
looked at Michael rather anxiously.

"Michael, what balls are we going to?" she inquired.

"Trinity, the House, and the Apollo," he told her.

"What house is that? and I don't think I ever heard of Apollo College.
It sounds very attractive. Have I said something foolish?" Mrs. Fane
looked round her, for everyone was laughing.

"The House is Christ Church, mother," said Michael, and then swiftly he
remembered his father might have made that name familiar to her. If he
had, she gave no sign; and Michael blushing fiercely, went on quickly to
explain that the Apollo was the name of the Masonic Lodge of the
university. Stella and Mrs. Fane rested that afternoon, and Michael with
Wedderburn, Lonsdale, and several other contemporaries spent a jolly
time in St. Mary's, walking round and reviving the memories of former
rags. Alan had suggested that, as he would be near the Randolph, he
might as well call in and escort Mrs. Fane and Stella down to tea in
Michael's rooms. Mrs. Avery with Blanche and Eileen Avery had also been
invited, and there was very little space left for teacups. Wedderburn,
however, assisted by Porcher on whom alone of these familiar people time
had not laid a visible finger, managed to make everybody think they had
enjoyed their tea. Afterward there was a general move to the river for a
short time, but as Lonsdale said, it must be for a very short time in
order that everyone might be in good form for the Trinity ball. Mrs.
Fane thought she would like to stay with Michael and talk to him for a
while. It was strange to see her sitting here in his old room, and to be
in a way more sharply aware of