It was in the process of marshalling this “small but select” assembly that Mr. Dodson found a further opportunity for the display of that administrative power of which he was the fortunate possessor. At least three of the gentlemen present were aspirants for the favours of Miss Hermione Leigh. However, Mr. Dodson, who even upon the threshold of his career had nothing to learn in the elements of social practice, chose to assume a demeanour of impregnable innocence towards all the covert signals that were directed to him, and informed Mr. William Jordan that his was the honour of “taking down” the divinity who reclined by his side.
It must be admitted that Miss Hermione Leigh accepted this ruling somewhat ungraciously.
“I shall ask Jimmy what he means by this,” said the goddess to Chrissie. “He might at least have taken that stuffed owl out of the glass case on the chimney-piece, so that I could go down with that.”
“It is only his fun,” said Chrissie.
“I sha’n’t sing after supper,” said Miss Hermione Leigh, bridling.
“You have not been asked, my dear,” said Chrissie imperturbably.
“Anyhow, that cuckoo is better than Percy Davis,” said Mr. Joseph Cox to Mr. John Dobbs, with the resignation of one who has swallowed most of the formulas.
“Better that crackpot than Joe Cox,” Mr. John Dobbs confided to Mr. Percival Davis.
In the dining-room of No. 8, Gladstone Villas, which was a more commodious dwelling than any this rising family had previously occupied—a contingency that was due to the recent rise in salary of its eldest scion—was seated Police-Sergeant Dodson, in his best and very highly furbished official uniform. The lustre of his hair outshone the candelabra.
Police-Sergeant Dodson rose from his seat at the head of the highly-decorated table, which he had occupied with heroic patience for the last half-hour while he waited for the real business of the evening to begin, and shook each person who entered heartily by the hand—beginning with “Mother”—and hoped earnestly that one and all would make themselves quite at home.