“No lions!” added Fely, “nothing to see but that poor old elephant! I wish he would have turned round and spouted water at them, as that one did to the tailor.”
“Water would be uncommonly good for them,” said the General, laughing, “they are not much acquainted therewith.”
“And such an atmosphere!” said Lance.
“I see it on your forehead, poor boy,” said Geraldine.
“I should like to set on the Society against cruelty to animals,” said the General; “I saw galls on the horses’ necks, and they were all half starved.”
“Then to see the poor old elephant pretend to be drunk!” added Fergus, “stagger about, and led off by the policeman, drunk and disorderly!”
“Was that being drunk?” asked Adrian, with wide-open eyes. “It was like Campbell that day.” Everybody laughed.
Wilfred did so now.
“You green kid, you.”
“Happy verdure,” said the General, “to be unaware that some people can laugh when they ought to weep.”