The fact must be recorded against the classical teacher that he was eavesdropping, ungentlemanly as it may sound; but the only thing that reached his ears was the conclusion of the conversation, when the Doctor said, raising his voice slightly, “Certainly, Mr Barclay, I shall give every attention to your testimonials; but my staff of preceptors is complete, and I have always considered Greek and Latin sufficient for my pupils, of course with the modern languages thrown in.”
The Professor thanked the Doctor effusively, and in the course of the evening contrived to fix himself like a burr upon Singh, while Mr Rampson made an effort and secured Glyn to himself, jealously taking care that the stranger guest and friend, it seemed, of Morris should not monopolise both the boys.
“It’s all a plot,” said Rampson to himself—“all a scheme to oust me, and I’ll never forgive Morris so long as I live.—I say,” he said aloud, “that Mr Barclay seems to have a deal to say to your friend the Prince. Do you know what they are talking about?”
“India, and Sanskrit, and catching elephants,” replied Glyn. “Has he been out in India?”
“Oh, don’t ask me,” said Rampson with asperity; then correcting himself quickly, and with a rather ghastly smile, “I say, you two did distinguish yourselves to-day.”
“Oh, did we, sir?” said Glyn, who looked rather tired and bored. “Please don’t say more about it.”
“Oh no, of course not, if you don’t want to hear it. But your friend doesn’t seem to mind. Why, the Professor’s taking him out into the garden, and the Prince is talking to him as hard as ever he can. Yes, he doesn’t seem to mind.”
“No,” replied Glyn, as he saw Singh, in obedience to a gesture from his new acquaintance, sit down upon one of the garden-seats, and for the next quarter of an hour the boy was talking in quite an animated way, and evidently answering questions put to him by the Professor.
The evening soon glided away, and the boys gladly thanked their host and retired to their own room, utterly wearied out by the events of the day.
As a rule, they lay for some time carrying on conversation and discussing the next day’s work; but that night very little was said, and the only thing worth recording was a few sentences that were spoken and responded to by Singh in the midst of yawns.