"Yes. Undoubtedly politicians'"
"Very good. Introduce me as a Time Server. If politicians are present they will be curious to see a man of my persuasion. Sir, the dodo is as common as the English goose compared with a man of my persuasion among politicians."
"Is not the joke rather a stupid one? Rather childish? Eh? You can't expect to find that intelligent people will either laugh or wince at such a poor pleasantry? They will only yawn."
"Sir, you do my intelligence an injustice when you fancy I try jokes upon men of whose intelligence I am not assured. If there is a joke in what I said, I beg your pardon. I had no intention of making one."
"Oh, all right," said Hanbury with a reckless laugh as the door opened and the two entered the house.
While they were going up stairs, Hanbury asked in a tone of amused perplexity:
"How on earth am I to say 'Mr. Leigh, the distinguished Time Server?'"
"You have said it very well now, for a first attempt. You will say it still better after this rehearsal: practice makes perfect."
When they got into the drawing-room, Hanbury led his companion towards Mrs. Ashton, who was standing talking to a distinguished microscopist, Dr. Stein. He had of late been pursuing the unhappy microbe, and had at last pushed the beast into a corner, and when it turned horrent, at bay upon him and he had thrust it through the body with an antiseptic poisoned in an epigram, and so slain the beast summarily and for ever. The hostess had been listening to the doctor's account of the expiring groans of the terrified microbe, and had just said with an amused smile:
"And now, Dr. Stein, that the microbe has been disposed of, to what do you intend directing your attention?"