I want you
before everybody sits down, so my young chaps can look you over.
Why, Peter, you're better than a whole course of lectures, and you
mean something, you beggar! I tell you" (here he lifted himself
from the depths of the chair and scrambled to his feet) "you've
got to go if I have to tie your hands and feet and carry you
downstairs on my back! And you, too, Major--both of you. Here's
your overcoat--into it, you humbug! ... the other arm. Is this
your hat? Out you go!" and before I had stopped laughing--I had
refused to crowd the cab--Morris had buttoned the surtout over
Peter's breast, crammed the straight-brimmed hat over his eyes,
and the two were clattering downstairs.
CHAPTER III
Long before the two had reached the top floor of the building in
which the dinner was to be given, they had caught the hum of the
merrymakers, the sound bringing a smile of satisfaction to Peter's
face, but it was when he entered the richly colored room itself,
hazy with cigarette smoke, and began to look into the faces of the
guests grouped about him and down the long table illumined by
myriads of wax candles that all his doubts and misgivings faded
into thin air.
Pages:
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54