“Excuse me, sir, did you not enjoy the lecture that has been delivered to-night?”
“Very much indeed,” said the man, “it was a most clever and entertaining lecture.”
“But you never smiled——”
“Oh, no—I’m a liar myself.”
.......
Sometimes there are other reasons to explain the unsmiling man’s attitude.
One evening I had lectured in Birmingham. On the first row there sat the whole time an old gentleman, with his umbrella standing between his legs, his hands crossed on the handle, and his chin resting on his hands. Frowning, his mouth gaping, and his eyes perfectly vacant, he remained motionless, looking at me, and for an hour and twenty minutes seemed to say to me: “My poor fellow, you may do what you like, but you won’t ‘fetch’ me to-night, I can tell you.” I looked at him, I spoke to him, I winked at him, I aimed at him; several times even I paused so as to give him ample time to see a point. All was in vain. I had just returned, after the lecture, to the secretary’s room behind the platform, when he entered.
“Oh, that man again!” I cried, pointing to him.
He advanced toward me, took my hand, and said:
“Thank you very much for your excellent lecture, I have enjoyed it very much.”