As soon as he saw the faces turned towards him, he took off his hat, made a step forwards, and flourished a bow.
'Your ladyship's most humble and obedient servant.'
He laid a stress upon the word 'obedient,' and uttered it with a meaning smile. Lady Oxford returned his bow, but instinctively shifted her position on the bench towards Kelly, and timidly put out a hand as though she would draw him nearer.
The stranger took another step forwards. There was no change in his expression, but the step was perhaps more swiftly taken.
'Mr. George Kelly,' he said quietly, and bowed again. 'The Reverend Mr. George Kelly, I think,' and he bowed a third time, but lower, and with extreme gravity.
Wogan started as the stranger pronounced the name. Instantly the stranger turned to him.
'Ah,' said he, 'Captain Nicholas Wogan, I think,' and he took a third step. His foot struck in a tuft of grass, and he stumbled forward; he fell plump upon his knees. For a gentleman of so much dignity the attitude was sufficiently ridiculous. Wogan grinned in no small satisfaction.
'Sure, my unknown friend,' said he, 'I think something has tripped you up.'
'Yes,' said the stranger, and, as he stood up, he picked up a book from the grass.
'It is,' said he, 'a copy of Virgil.'