“From this one may gather———”
“That the snub is an effective lever with weak human nature. We are jealous of our sensibilities and guard them. When social exigencies compel us to approach such as Polly, we lift our hat to the conqueror. The only self-respecting way to treat Polly is to leave him alone; but because of his success in sport, at the golf club, and so on, Polly is an unavoidable evil.”
“Poor Polly?” I dared to ask, as Uncle closed his long speech.
“His chin goes in,” he rejoindered, as if he enjoyed it, “his forehead goes back, his nose is squash, and his voice resembles—as you suggest—that of ‘Poor Poll’.”
I realized the resemblance.
“And Mr. Davidson?”
“Davidson? Merely a snob—only that and nothing more.”
“Mr. MacKenzie?”
“A monstrosity,” spoke up Mr. Bang, “yet he taught me a good lesson.”
“How could Mr. MacKenzie teach you a lesson?” I exclaimed laughingly, although I couldn’t help emphasizing the “you.” The emphasis was, however, apparently quite lost on Mr. Bang. His composure and gravity were serene, as he replied: