'Well, old fellow,' said he, 'how are you now?' and he was particularly careful so to speak as to show by his voice that his affection for his friend was as strong as ever. But in doing so he showed also that there was some special thought still present in his mind,—some feeling which was serious in its nature if not absolutely painful.
'Staveley,' said the other, gravely, 'I have acquired knowledge to-day which I trust I may carry with me to my grave.'
'And what is that?' said Augustus, looking round to Mrs. Baker as though he thought it well that she should be out of the room before the expected communication was made. But Mrs. Baker's attention was so riveted by her patient's earnestness, that she made no attempt to go.
'It is a wasting of the best gifts of Providence,' said Graham, 'to eat a pheasant after one has really done one's dinner.'
'Oh, that's it, is it?' said Augustus.
'So it is, sir,' said Mrs. Baker, thinking that the subject quite justified the manner.
'And of no use whatsoever to eat only a little bit of one as a man does then. To know what a pheasant is you should have it all to yourself.'
'So you should, sir,' said Mrs. Baker, quite delighted and very much in earnest.
'And you should have nothing else. Then, if the bird be good to begin with, and has been well hung———'
'There's a deal it that,' said Mrs. Baker.
'Then, I say, you'll know what a pheasant is. That's the lesson which I have learned to-day, and I give it you as an adequate return for the pheasant itself.'
'I was almost afeard it would be spoilt by being brought up the second time,' said Mrs. Baker. 'And so I said to my lady; but she wouldn't have you woke, nohow.' And then Mrs. Baker, having heard the last of the lecture, took away the empty wine-glass and shut the door behind her.
'And now I'll write those two letters,' said Graham. 'What I've written hitherto I wrote in bed, and I feel almost more awkward now I am up than I did then.'
'But what letters are they?'
'Well, one to my laundress to tell her I shall be there to-morrow, and one to Mary Snow to say that I'll see her the day after.'
'Then, Felix, don't trouble yourself to write either. You positively won't go to-morrow———'
'Who says so?'
'The governor. He has heard from my mother exactly what the doctor said, and declares that he won't allow it. He means to see the doctor himself before you stir. And he wants to see
