"Thank you," he said. "Kindly leave us."
Mr. Harrison hesitated visibly, but Mr. Rodney meant to be obeyed, so the groom of the chambers very deliberately decamped, casting his feet abroad after his manner.
"What a most extraordinary person!" said Mrs. Verulam.
"Oh, I daresay Mr. Lite has made a friend of him," said Mr. Rodney hastily. "These nouveaux riches do strange things."
"Hallelujah, bow-wow-wow!" murmured a distant voice; to which another voice responded: "Polly dreadful drunk. What's o'clock, Polly?" Then innumerable corks were drawn with apparently supernatural swiftness.
Mr. Rodney reddened.
"Pray don't be alarmed," he said to Mrs. Verulam, who was visibly startled.
"Is it the same man?" she said. "Why, he must be mad."
"No, no. They are only Mrs. Lite's parrots talking in one of the winter gardens. It must be nearly lunch time. Would you not like to see your rooms?"
"Perhaps it would be as well. I feel as if you were my kind host."