He talked to Rupert and, with secret excitement, heard the opinions of May and Polly on the subject of Cora Lintern.
A very glowing and genial atmosphere settled over Cadworthy after the departure of Humphrey Baskerville. Even the nervous Mark consented to sing a song or two. The musical traditions of the Baskervilles had reawakened in him, and on rare occasions he favoured his friends with old ballads. But in church he never sang, and often only went there to ring the tenor bell.
Mr. Nathan also rendered certain comic songs, and May played the aged piano. Then there was dancing and dust and noise, and presently the meal called 'high tea.' Hester Baskerville protested at last against her brother-in-law's absurdities, for everybody began to roll about and ache with laughter; but he challenged her criticism.
"Clever though you all are," he said, "no woman that ever I met was clever enough to play the fool. 'Tis only the male creature can accomplish that."
"No woman ever wanted to, I should hope," she answered; and he retorted triumphantly—
"There you are! There's my argument in a nutshell!"
She was puzzled.
"What d'you mean by that?" she asked, and, from the standpoint of his nimble wit, he roared.
"There you are again!" he said. "I can't explain; but the lack in you be summed in the question."
"You'm a hopeless case," she said. "We all laugh at you, and yet couldn't for the life of us tell what on earth 'tis we be laughing at."