Page:The Wonderful Visit.djvu/193

Rh "Come," he said—struggling with emotion. "Come away. &hellip; I  &hellip; I am disgraced for ever."

And the Angel stared for a second at him and obeyed—meekly, perceiving himself in the presence of unknown but evidently terrible forces.

And so began and ended the Angel's social career.

In the informal indignation meeting that followed, Lady Hammergallow took the (informal) chair. "I feel humiliated," she said. "The Vicar assured me he was an exquisite player. I never imagined &hellip;"

"He was drunk," said Mr. Rathbone-Slater. "You could tell it from the way he fumbled with his tea."

"Such a fiasco!" said Mrs. Mergle.

"The Vicar assured me," said Lady Hammergallow. "'The man I have staying with me is a musical genius,' he said. His very words."

"His ears must be burning anyhow," said Tommy Rathbone-Slater.

"I was trying to keep him Quiet," said Mrs. Jehoram. "By humouring him. And do you know the things he said to me—there!"