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She stood a little bit in awe of a woman who took up all sorts of dreadful subjects as easily as you take up an acquaintance, and had such works as "The Principles of Psychology" lying about as the light literature of her drawing-room table. But Miss Batchelor was much more nervous than her visitor, therefore Mrs. Wilcox had the advantage at once. She knew perfectly well what she was going to do.
Ogilvie sat down, lit a cigar, and poured himself out some claret. "Macleod," said he, "I am going to talk to you like a father. I hear you have been going on in a mad way. Surely you know that a batchelor coming up to London for a season, and being asked about by people who are precious glad to get unmarried men to their houses, is not expected to give these swell dinner parties?
Indeed our principal authority on Aino religion, the Rev. John Batchelor, frankly describes as worship the ceremonious respect which the Aino pay to the bear, and he affirms that the animal is undoubtedly one of their gods.
At last he brought me an envelope he had just addressed, and said in a rather more persuasive manner than he had yet assumed "Batchelor, would you kindly take this note round to Hodge and Company's? It is very important; they should have had it yesterday." "Hodge's are never open till ten," I said. "Oh yes, indeed they are. At least they expect this letter by nine o'clock.
"Batchelor, do you still decline to offer any explanation of the discovery of this key in your desk?" "I can only say," I replied, "that it must have been put there, for I never touched it." "Who would put it there?" "Hawkesbury, I suppose. When he and his friend dragged me up stairs my desk was left open." "Can you describe this Masham?" I could, and did.
After a second vigorous pull at the bell by our coachman, a stern and scraggy female put in her appearance. "Is this Frederick Batchelor?" she inquired, in tones which put my juvenile back up instantly. "Yes, this is Master Freddy," put in the nervous Mrs Hudson, anxious to conciliate every one on my behalf. "Freddy, dear, say " "Is that his box?" continued the stern dame.
"I'm sure, Batchelor," said he, "it must have been greatly against you to be cooped up in that miserable lodging all the time, and in what I should call such uncongenial society. But when one is ill, of course one has just to put up with what one can get." My patience had reached its limit at last. "My friend's society is more congenial to me than yours is at present!"
We have sat through the long watches of the night while Edison brooded on the real solution of the swarming problems. We have gazed anxiously at the steady fingers of the deft and cautious Batchelor, as one fragile filament after another refused to stay intact until it could be sealed into its crystal prison and there glow with light that never was before on land or sea.
Pass up those tea-cakes when you've helped yourself, Crow. I got them for twopence apiece not bad, eh? I say, I suppose you've heard what's up in Hawk Street, eh? jam to the Field-Marshal there. Yes, Harris of the Imports told me: he heard it from Morgan, who knows a fellow who knows old Merrett. Plenty more potted meat in the cupboard; get out some, Batchelor, that's a good fellow.
"Why, if it's not Batchelor," exclaimed Doubleday; not, however, advancing open-armed to meet me, but edging towards the far end of the desk, and dexterously insinuating Crow and Wallop between me and his precious person. "Why, we heard you had smallpox." "So we thought yesterday," said I, gravely, half aggravated still that I had been defrauded of that distinction.
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