At the conclusion, Lennox bowed and walked towards the door. Here he turned with:
“What a pity so much eloquence should have been wasted. Doubtless your next move will be to warn the little Eunice against my machinations, but let me assure you that her ambition to get on will certainly outweigh your most moral representations.”
“That being so,” replied Eliphalet, “I must think of other means.”
“There are no other means.” And with this Parthian arrow Lennox withdrew.
It was a challenge, and Eliphalet Cardomay bit his nails over it until he was “called.”
While in his bath that night, after a period of much brain-racking, the “other means” suddenly illumined his brain, causing him to rise so abruptly that nearly a gallon of water splashed on the oilcloth, percolated through the ceiling of the parlour below and figured to the extent of fifteen and six-pence on his week’s account.
The next morning he said to Manning:
“I am going to give a special matinée at Birmingham the week after next. Second Act of ‘The Corsican Brothers’—Trial Scene from ‘The Merchant of Venice’ and—and—well, I shall think of something.”
Freddie Manning politely asked what the idea was.
“I wish to—er—to try out some of our younger members.”