Page:The principal girl (IA principalgirl00snai).pdf/176

 How else could one look at things? the Proconsul inquired in tones of pained expostulation.

"This is the way I look at things, father," said Mr. Philip, "if you don't mind my goin' into details."

"Pray do so, my boy. I shall welcome them."

"Well, this is my feelin' on the subject. You are sort of shot here, don't you know, without anybody askin' you whether you wanted to come. You are sort of dumped here, don't you know, and told to make the best of a pretty bad mix-up. Well, I don't mind tellin' you, father, I've been gettin' rather fed up with the whole Affair lately."

An idle and selfish course of life leads invariably to that state of mind, said Father in effect, though his language was politer. It was a great mistake ever to have left the Second.

Son had got just as fed up there, though. It seemed such a silly arrangement for grown men of five-and-twenty.

Father was pained at This.

"Fact is," said the Green Chartreuse, who was a veritable Swaggering Companion this morning, "a chap is bound to get fed up unless he can find a real nice girl to take him on, and give him an interest in things. And I reckon I've found her, although I haven't persuaded her yet; but, father, if you'll be so