“Glad to hear it, sir,” said Joe, the light of a respectful humor breaking upon him. And then measuring the young man with the eye of professional experience. “May I ask your occupation?”
“No occupation.”
“I don’t like the sound o’ that.” Sergeant Kelly sagely shook his head.
“Perhaps it isn’t quite so bad as it sounds,” said the young man. “At present, you see, I am a kind of understudy to a sort of uncle I have. I am in training as you might say, so that one day I may follow in his footsteps.”
“An actor,” said the dubious Joe. He didn’t mind actors personally, but impersonally he didn’t quite hold with the stage.
“Not exactly,” said the young man coolly, but with a smile. “And yet he is in his way. In fact, you might call him a prince of comedians.”
“I’m sorry, sir.” Sergeant Kelly measured each word carefully. “But I’m afraid that’s only a very little in his favor.”
“I’m sorry, too,” said Jack. “My uncle is a duke, and the deuce of it is, I have to succeed him.”
“A duke!” Sergeant Kelly’s tone of rather pained surprise made it clear that such a romantic circumstance greatly altered the aspect of the case. It also implied that he was far from approving an ill-timed jest on a sacred subject. His brow knitted to a heavy frown. “Well, sir, I can only say that if such is the case you have no right to come a-courting our Mary.”
“For why not, Sergeant Kelly?”