"Summon 'em here," he said, with a large wave of his right hand, "summon 'em all. It's accomplished!"
"Summon who?"
"Me feller guests," said Mr. Collop. "They shall witness the daynoumong and their souls shall be eased."
"Mr. Collop," said the harassed Home Secretary, "what need is there for this?"
"Witnesses! Mr. Dee Boe Hun!" royally. "Record! You'll be astonished."
"Very well, Mr. Collop, if you require them."
He made a gesture as though again to ring; then thought better of it and went out himself, looking at his watch as he moved to the door. He had seen no one go out. It was not yet half past ten o'clock: no one would yet have started for church. He remembered with pleasure that for once in her life Victoria Mosel had come to breakfast. He ferreted them all out, McTaggart cowering as usual—and very sad—in the old smoking-room; Galton and Vic, whom he surprised in the very act of repeating the word "putrid," he found in the library, already stale with smoke; Aunt Amelia he dragged out, almost by force, from the corner of the little morning-room where she was sitting, half somnolent, like the good mutton she was, her knitting laid aside on the Holy Day and wondering by the clock whether it was time for her to put on her bonnet (help!) for church. The Professor he had the good luck to catch at the very last moment as he was making for the glass doors of the hall, all ready muffled up for a walk. As for Marjorie, he had to go and find her in her room where she was desperately locked in, miserable.
"Mr. Collop has got something to tell us, my dear. Won't you come down?"
"Blast him!" came in tearful, broken tones from within.
"No, my dear, but please do come down. He really wants us all."