“It’s a great responsibility,” said Tom, throwing himself into a chair and scratching his head with an air of wisdom.
Manvers stared at him incredulously.
“My dear fellow, the man who thinks about responsibilities is no longer a responsible being. It is a sign of mania or extreme old age. The age of responsibility begins at eighty-three or eighty-four, and I once knew a man of eighty-five who was still irresponsible. You are upset and excited. Go to Paris for a week. Paris is strangely regenerative, I always find.”
Tom laughed.
“Talking of Paris, why aren’t you there?”
“I am staying with the Chathams,” said Manvers. “They were in Paris just before Easter, and they asked me to come to London and see them for a week or two, and as I had nothing to do I came. I always have a great success with middle-aged gentlemen. There is something peculiarly seductive about me to the mature male.”
“I don’t care for mature males much,” said Tom.
“Oh! that is a mistake. They make one feel so young. It is so easy to be seductive to them. You have to be very deferential, but imply at the same time that it is a very great compliment, and give them the impression that you yourself have vast stores of experience at your back, but prefer that they should produce theirs.”
“Did you come here simply to make yourself seductive to Lord Chatham?”
“No, I can’t say that was my object. My coming was only the effect of my having done so. I came to see other people.”