'Your turn to read at prayers, Vaughan. Hullo, there's the Mutual.
Didn't hear him unlock the door. Glad he has, though. Saves us
trouble.'
'I must be going down to look up a bit to read. Do you remember when
Harper read the same bit six days running? I shall never forget Ward's
pained expression. Harper explained that he thought the passage so
beautiful that he couldn't leave it.'
'Why don't you try that tip?'
'Hardly. My reputation hasn't quite the stamina for the test.'
Vaughan left the room. At the foot of the stairs he was met by the
matron.
'Will you unlock the door, please, Vaughan,' she said, handing him a
bunch of keys. 'The boys will be coming in in a minute.'
'Unlock the door?' repeated Vaughan. 'I thought it was unlocked. All
right.'
'By Jove,' he thought, 'the plot thickens. What is our only Plunkett
doing out of the House when the door is locked, I wonder.'
Plunkett strolled in with the last batch of the returning crowd,
wearing on his face the virtuous look of one who has been snatching a
whiff of fresh air after a hard evening's preparation.
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