NIGHT AND MORNING
"At any rate," replied Lady Maltby, it makes little difference what he is, Manning; I am sure that we are all profoundly grateful to him nevertheless. You will certainly call upon him, will you not?"
"I intended to do so," replied Manning, "but we have just received a note from him saying that he has gone up to London."
"I am sorry; I should have liked the opportunity of thanking him myself."
"You will see him at the cricket match on Saturday, mumsey," said Giles. "Jack Carter and I have made him promise to help us out; his batting's the only thing that can pull us through without disgrace. The C. C. C.'s are regular wonders this year. They've Langdon and D'Arcy and Penrhyn and Roberts—cracks all. There will be five thousand people to see that match— What?"
In the absorbing interest of the coming match, Dessalines was for the moment forgotten and the hour passed pleasantly. Later in the forenoon Virginia and Giles rode together.
As they cantered through the park Virginia noticed that Giles was deeply preoccupied; he was a good talker, in a broken staccato way, but this morning he seemed nervous and ill at ease.
"How do you feel after your ducking?" asked Virginia.
"Tiptop."
"Why are you so quiet? Frightened at the thought of the match?"
"In a regular blue funk," he answered absently.
"You don't act as if you were. I'm afraid you're not feeling very fit after your drowning."
37
