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them within strictly decorous limits。〃
〃Of course the thing would have to be done furtively
and politely；〃 said Clovis； 〃the charm of it would be
that it would never be perfunctory like the other thing。
Now； for instance； you say to yourself： 'I must show the
Webleys some attention at Christmas； they were kind to
dear Bertie at Bournemouth；' and you send them a
calendar； and daily for six days after Christmas the male
Webley asks the female Webley if she has remembered to
thank you for the calendar you sent them。 Well；
transplant that idea to the other and more human side of
your nature； and say to yourself： 'Next Thursday is
Nemesis Day； what on earth can I do to those odious
people next door who made such an absurd fuss when Ping
Yang bit their youngest child？' Then you'd get up
awfully early on the allotted day and climb over into
their garden and dig for truffles on their tennis court
with a good gardening fork； choosing； of course； that
part of the court that was screened from observation by
the laurel bushes。 You wouldn't find any truffles but
you would find a great peace； such as no amount of
present…giving could ever bestow。〃
〃I shouldn't；〃 said Mrs。 Thackenbury； though her air
of protest sounded a bit forced； 〃I should feel rather a
worm for doing such a thing。〃
〃You exaggerate the power of upheaval which a worm
would be able to bring into play in the limited time
available；〃 said Clovis； 〃if you put in a strenuous ten
minutes with a really useful fork； the result ought to
suggest the operations of an unusually masterful mole or
a badger in a hurry。〃
〃They might guess I had done it；〃 said Mrs。
Thackenbury。
〃Of course they would；〃 said Clovis； 〃that would be
half the satisfaction of the thing； just as you like
people at Christmas to know what presents or cards you've
sent them。 The thing would be much easier to manage； of
course； when you were on outwardly friendly terms with
the object of your dislike。 That greedy little Agnes
Blaik； for instance； who thinks of nothing but her food；
it would be quite simple to ask her to a picnic in some
wild woodland spot and lose her just before lunch was
served； when you found her again every morsel of food
could have been eaten up。〃
〃It would require no ordinary human strategy to lose
Agnes Blaik when luncheon was imminent： in fact； I don't
believe it could be done。〃
〃Then have all the other guests； people whom you
dislike； and lose the luncheon。 It could have been sent
by accident in the wrong direction。〃
〃It would be a ghastly picnic；〃 said Mrs。
Thackenbury。
〃For them； but not for you；〃 said Clovis； 〃you would
have had an early and comforting lunch before you
started； and you could improve the occasion by mentioning
in detail the items of the missing banquet … the lobster
Newburg and the egg mayonnaise； and the curry that was to
have been heated in a chafing…dish。 Agnes Blaik would be
delirious long before you got to the list of wines； and
in the long interval of waiting； before they had quite
abandoned hope of the lunch turning up； you could induce
them to play silly games； such as that idiotic one of
'the Lord Mayor's dinner…party；' in which every one has
to choose the name of a dish and do something futile when
it is called out。 In this case they would probably burst
into tears when their dish is mentioned。 It would be a
heavenly picnic。〃
Mrs。 Thackenbury was silent for a moment； she was
probably making a mental list of the people she would
like to invite to the Duke Humphrey picnic。 Presently
she asked： 〃And that odious young man； Waldo Plubley； who
is always coddling himself … have you thought of anything
that one could do to him？〃 Evidently she was beginning
to see the possibilities of Nemesis Day。
〃If there was anything like a general observance of
the festival；〃 said Clovis； 〃Waldo would be in such
demand that you would have to bespeak him weeks
beforehand； and even then； if there were an east wind
blowing or a cloud or two in the sky he might be too
careful of his precious self to come out。 It would be
rather jolly if you could lure him into a hammock in the
orchard； just near the spot where there is a wasps' nest
every summer。 A comfortable hammock on a warm afternoon
would appeal to his indolent tastes； and then； when he
was getting drowsy； a lighted fusee thrown into the nest
would bring the wasps out in an indignant mass； and they
would soon find a 'home away from home' on Waldo's fat
body。 It takes some doing to get out of a hammock in a
hurry。〃
〃They might sting him to death；〃 protested Mrs。
Thackenbury。
〃Waldo is one of those people who would be
enormously improved by death；〃 said Clovis； 〃but if you
didn't want to go as far as that； you could have some wet
straw ready to hand； and set it alight under the hammock
at the same time that the fusee was thrown into the nest；
the smoke would keep all but the most militant of the
wasps just outside the stinging line； and as long as
Waldo remained within its protection he would escape
serious damage； and could be eventually restored to his
mother； kippered all over and swollen in places； but
still perfectly recognisable。〃
〃His mother would be my enemy for life；〃 said Mrs。
Thackenbury。
〃That would be one greeting less to exchange at
Christmas；〃 said Clovis。
THE DREAMER
IT was the season of sales。 The august
establishment of Walpurgis and Nettlepink had lowered its
prices for an entire week as a concession to trade
observances； much as an Arch…duchess might protestingly
contract an attack of influenza for the unsatisfactory
reason that influenza was locally prevalent。 Adela
Chemping； who considered herself in some measure superior
to the allurements of an ordinary bargain sale； made a
point of attending the reduction week at Walpurgis and
Nettlepink's。
〃I'm not a bargain hunter；〃 she said； 〃but I like to
go where bargains are。〃
Which showed that beneath her surface strength of
character there flowed a gracious undercurrent of human
weakness。
With a view to providing herself with a male escort
Mrs。 Chemping had invited her youngest nephew to
accompany her on the first day of the shopping
expedition； throwing in the additional allurement of a
cinematograph theatre and the prospect of light
refreshment。 As Cyprian was not yet eighteen she hoped
he might not have reached that stage in masculine
development when parcel…carrying is looked on as a thing
abhorrent。
〃Meet me just outside the floral department；〃 she
wrote to him； 〃and don't be a moment later than eleven。〃
Cyprian was a boy who carried with him through early
life the wondering look of a dreamer； the eyes of one who
sees things that are not visible to ordinary mortals； and
invests the commonplace things of this world with
qualities unsuspected by plainer folk … the eyes of a
poet or a house agent。 He was quietly dressed … that
sartorial quietude which frequently accompanies early
adolescence； and is usually attributed by novel…writers
to the influence of a widowed mother。 His hair was
brushed back in a smoothness as of ribbon seaweed and
seamed with a narrow furrow that scarcely aimed at being
a parting。 His aunt particularly noted this item of his
toilet when they met at the appointed rendezvous； because
he was standing waiting for her bare…headed。
〃Where is your hat？〃 she asked。
〃I didn't bring one with me；〃 he replied。
Adela Chemping was slightly scandalised。
〃You are not going to be what they call a Nut； are
you？〃 she inquired with some anxiety； partly with the
idea that a Nut would be an extravagance which her
sister's small household would scarcely be justified in
incurring； partly； perhaps； with the instinctive
apprehension that a Nut； even in its embryo stage； would
refuse to carry parcels。
Cyprian looked at her with his wondering； dreamy
eyes。
〃I didn't bring a hat；〃 he said； 〃because it is such
a nuisance when one is shopping； I mean it is so awkward
if one meets anyone one knows and has to take one's hat
off when one's hands are full of parcels。 If one hasn't
got a hat on one can't take it off。〃
Mrs。 Chemping sighed with great relief； her worst
fear had been laid at rest。
〃It is more orthodox to wear a hat；〃 she observed；
and then turned her attention briskly to the business in
hand。
〃We will go first to the table…linen counter；〃 she
said； leading the way in that direction； 〃I should like
to look at some napkins。〃
The wondering look deepened in Cyprian's eyes as he
followed his aunt； he belonged to a generation that is
supposed to be over…fond of the role of me