“Why, I thought it was a kind of charity school,” said Lonsdale. Then he turned to Michael again:
“I say, are you really from St. James’?”
Michael replied coldly that he was.
“I say, come and have coffee with me after hall. One or two O. E.’s are coming in, but you won’t mind?”
“Why, do you want to find out something about St. James’?” demanded Michael, frowning.
“Oh, I say, don’t be ratty. It’s that ass Tommy. He always talks at the top of his voice.”
Lonsdale, as he spoke, looked so charmingly apologetic and displayed such accomplished sang-froid that Michael forgave him immediately and promised to come to coffee.
“Good egg!” Lonsdale exclaimed with the satisfaction of having smoothed over an awkward place. “I say,” he offered, “if you’d like to meet Wedderburn, I’ll ask him, too. He seems to have improved since he’s been up at the Varsity. Don’t you think that fat man Wedderburn has improved, Tommy?”
Tommy nodded.
“One day’s done him no end of good.”