Then it came to pass that the woman, who walked behind them, lifted up her eyes, and beheld the tree which they had dressed.
“Stop!” she called; and they stopped. “Who did that?”
There was no answer. The Eternal Bad Boy in every man hung its head before the Eternal Mother in every woman.
“Who put these disgusting things there?” she repeated.
Suddenly Penfentenyou, Premier of his Colony in all but name, left Jimmy and me, and appeared at the gate. (If he is not turned out of office, that is how he will appear on the Day of Armageddon.)
“Well done you!” he cried zealously, and doffed his hat to the woman. “Have you any children, madam?” he demanded.
“Yes, two. They should have been here to-day. The firm promised—”
“Then we're not a minute too soon. That monkey escaped. It was a very dangerous beast. 'Might have frightened your children into fits. All the organ-grinder's fault! A most lucky thing these gentlemen caught it when they did. I hope you aren't badly mauled, Sir Christopher?” Shaken as I was (I wanted to get away and laugh) I could not but admire the scoundrel's consummate tact in leading his second highest trump. An ass would have introduced Lord Lundie and they would not have believed him.
It took the trick. The couple smiled, and gave respectful thanks for their deliverance by such hands from such perils.
“Not in the least,” said Lord Lundie. “Anybody—any father—would have done as much, and—pray don't apologize—your mistake was quite natural.” A furniture man sniggered here, and Lord Lundie rolled an Eye of Doom on their ranks. “By the way, if you have trouble with these persons—they seem to have taken as much as is good for them—please let me know. Er—Good morning!”