Page:A thousand years hence. Being personal experiences (IA thousandyearshen00gree).djvu/178

 ordinary mortals must hide their heads. He of whom all this was told laughed most heartily; it was, as he remarked, such a capital joke. But the other, to whom the said joke was addressed, at once turned his back; and, when again confronted for an explanation, only repeated the offence. Thereupon followed the angry cane over the offending back.

The magistrate's settlement of the matter next morning, with the usual fine, and the usual parental admonitions, went for nothing. When the two gay friends understood that the club would be moved for no less than their complete expulsion, they both laughed outright, and seemingly a goodly and sufficient muster of backers were ready to laugh with them. But a great battle upon a great principle was being prepared for, and as preparation went on the laugh on the one side was proving to be much more loud than general. Alarm therefore set in upon that camp, and apologies and testimonials were raked up, especially for the gay Lothario himself, who was expected to be chiefly, if not solely attacked. The social laxities in question, it was admitted, were sadly much too common; but their friend was, after all, no worse than many other people, who are yet deemed perfectly respectable; and besides, from his having been in the army, some excusing allowance was always of course due to the too ample leisure of the soldier. Then a rector or two, and a still larger number of curates, further testified to all reasonably decorous externals. It was also in evidence that the gallant officer had not hesitated to exchange regiments in order to avoid India, whose climate did not suit his constitution, it being ever a soldier's first duty to