with laughter, and come rushing through the hall to read me some
passage that had just captivated his fancy. Whenever he came stealing
along like a thief, I knew it was to talk about the lecture; when he
came like an incarnate thunderstorm, I knew it was about the book.

One passage in the famous story especially appealed to him. It was the
part about Codlin and Short, the Punch and Judy men. In the middle of
dinner, without the slightest provocation or warning, he would suddenly
drop his knife and fork, throw himself back in his chair, slap his leg
a sounding blow with his hand, and shriek out, 'Codlin's your friend,
not Short,' and then go off into ecstasies of glee as he told the tale
all over again.

Well, Monday--the day of his opening lecture--came at last. During the
day he was unusually quiet and taciturn, although, even in face of the
grim test that awaited him, the Punch and Judy men haunted his memory
and led to occasional subdued outbursts of fun. After tea we set out.
It was a delicious evening. Few things are sweeter than the early
evenings of early summer. The sunset is throwing long shadows across
the fresh green grass, and the birds are busy in the boughs.
Everything about us was clad in its softest and loveliest garb. We
drove on between massive hedges of fragrant hawthorn, and up huge
avenues of stately blue gum trees, scattering the rabbits before us.
Then we caught sight of the river, and drove over the bridge into the
quiet little town in which such unsuspected adventures awaited us.
Dick was pale and quiet; his sunshine was veiled in banks of cloud, and
I found it difficult to rouse him. On arrival at the hall we found it
crowded. I was naturally delighted; his pleasure was more restrained.
Indeed, he confided to me, with a look that, for him, was positively
lugubrious, that he would have been more gratified if the horrid place
had been empty. However, there was nothing for it. Not a soul, except
myself, knew that Dick was lecturing for the first time in his life;
the chairman led us to the platform; and, after a brief introduction
relative to the renown of the speakers, he called upon Dick to address
the townsfolk. As a maiden effort it was a triumph; his native good
humour combined with careful preparation to produce a really excellent
effect; and he sat down amidst a thunder of applause. I filled in an
odd half-hour, and then the chairman nearly killed Dick at one blow.

'Would