I thought of Mr. Rosario, and stood, or sat confounded.
The mare fidgeted; I knocked a beast of a fly off her, and so gained time.
‘This is my second season up here, you know.’
‘Your second season!’ I exclaimed. ‘Where on earth have you been hiding?’
‘Well, I didn’t exhibit last year, you see. I’d heard it was a kind of a toy show, so I thought I wouldn’t. I think now that was foolish. But I got to know quite a number of families.’
‘But I am sure there are numbers that you haven’t met,’ I urged,’ or I should have heard of it.’
He glanced at me with a slight flush. ‘If you mean society people,’ he said, ‘I don’t care about that kind of thing, Mr. Philips. I’m not adapted to it, and I don’t want to be. If any one offered to introduce me to the Viceroy, I would ask to be excused.’
‘Oh, the Viceroy,’ I responded, disrespectfully, ‘is neither here nor there. But there are some people, friends of my own, who would like very much to meet you.’
‘By the name of Harris?’ he asked. I was too amazed to do anything but nod. By the name of Harris! The Secretary of the Government of India in the Legislative Department! The expression, not used as an invocation, was inexcusable.
‘I remember you mentioned them yesterday.’