occasion.Theycame,Mr.andMissGlover,theBrandertons,theHancocks,Mr.AtthillBacot,thegreatpolitician(ofthedistrict).ButMr.AtthillBacotwasmorethanpolitical,hewasgallant,andhedevotedhimselftotheentertainmentofMissLey.Hediscussedwithherthesinsofthegovernmentandtheincapacityofthearmy.
“Moremen,moreguns!”hesaid.“Anelementaryeducationincommonsensefortheofficers,andtherudimentsofgrammarifthere’stime!”
“Goodheavens,Mr.Bacot,youmustn’tsaysuchthings.IthoughtyouwereaConservative.”
“Madam,Istoodfortheconstituencyin’85.ImaysaythatifaConservativemembercouldhavegotin,Ishouldhavebeenelected.Buttherearelimits.EventhestaunchConservativewillturn.NowlookatGeneralHancock.”
“Pleasedon’ttalksoloud,”saidMissLey,withalarm,forMr.Bacothadinstinctivelyadoptedhisplatformmanner,andhisvoicecouldbeheardthroughthewholegarden.
“LookatGeneralHancock,Isay,”herepeated,takingnonoticeoftheinterruption.“Isthatthesortofmanwhomyouwouldwishtohavethehandlingoftenthousandofyoursons?”
“Oh,butbefair,”criedMissLey,laughing.“They’renotallsuchfoolsaspoorGeneralHancock.”
“Igiveyoumyword,madam,Ithinktheyare....AsfarasIcanmakeout,whenamanhasshownhimselfincapableofdoinganythingelsetheymakehimageneral,justtoencouragetheothers.Iunderstandthereason.It’sagreatthing,ofcourse,forparentssendingtheirsonsintothearmytobeabletosay,‘Well,hemaybeafool,butthere’snoreasonwhyheshouldn’tbecomeageneral.’”
“Youwouldn’trobusofourgenerals,”saidMissLey“they’resousefulattea-parties.InmyyoungdaysthefoolofthefamilywassentintotheChurch,butnow,Isuppose,he’ssentintothearmy.”
Mr.BacotwasabouttomakeaveryheatedretortwhenEdwardcalledtohim—
“Wewantyoutomakeupasetattennis.WillyouplaywithMissHancockagainstmywifeandtheGeneral?Comeon,Bertha.”
“Ohno,Imeantositout,Eddie,”saidBertha,quickly.ShesawthatEdwardwasputtingallthebadplayersintooneset,sothattheymightbegotridof.“I’mnotgoingtoplay.”
“Youmust,oryou’lldisarrangethenextlot.It’sallsettledMissGloverandIaregoingtotakeon