Wolfenden gulped down his amazement with an effort.
“I’ll take plain,” he said. “It’s a long time, isn’t it, since we played?”
His father faced him for a minute and seemed perplexed.
“Not so very long, surely. Wasn’t it yesterday, or the day before?”
Wolfenden wondered for a moment whether that blow had affected his brain. It was years since he had seen the billiard-room at Deringham Hall opened.
“I don’t exactly remember,” he faltered. “Perhaps I was mistaken. Time goes so quickly.”
“I wonder,” the Admiral said, making a cannon and stepping briskly round the table, “how it goes at all with you young men who do nothing. Great mistake to have no profession, Wolf! I wish I could make you see it.”
“I quite agree with you,” Wolfenden said. “You must not look upon me as quite an idler, though. I am a full-fledged barrister, you know, although I do not practise, and I have serious thoughts of Parliament.”
The Admiral shook his head.
“Poor career, my boy, poor career for a gentleman’s son. Take my advice and keep out of Parliament. I am going to pot the red. I don’t like the red ball, Wolf! It keeps looking at me like—like that man! Ah!”