"We-ell—"
Mr. Waddington's anxiety was almost unbearable. The programme had evidently appealed to Sir John. Supposing, after all, he accepted?
"I wouldn't ask you to undertake anything so—so arduous, but that it'll strengthen my hands with my Committee; in fact, I may get a much stronger and more influential Committee if I can come to them, and tell them beforehand that you have consented to be president."
"I don't mind being president," said Sir John, "if I haven't got to do anything."
"I'm afraid—I'm afraid we couldn't allow you to be a mere figurehead."
"But presidents always are figureheads, aren't they?"
There was a bantering gleam in Sir John's eyes that irritated Mr. Waddington. That was the worst of Corbett; you couldn't get him to take a serious thing seriously.
"'T any rate," Sir John went on, "there's always some secretary johnnie who runs round and does the work."
So that was Corbett's idea: to sit in his armchair and bag all the prestige, while he, Waddington of Wyck, ran round and did the work.
"Not in this case. In these small local affairs you can't delegate business. Everything depends on the personal activity of the president."