I can tell you some
good historical books, and some books of literary criticism and
biography. I can't do much about poetry or novels; and philosophy,
science, and theology I am no use at all for. But I could get you
some advice if you like. That's the best of Cambridge, there are so
many people about who are able to tell what to read."
While they were making out a list, Jack arrived breathlessly, and
Miss Merry shamefacedly withdrew. Howard said: "Perhaps that will
do to go on with--we will have another talk to-morrow. I begin to
see the sort of thing you want."
Jack was in a state of high excitement.
"What on earth were you doing," he said, as the door closed, "with
that sedate spinster?"
"We were making out a list of books!"
"Ah," said Jack with a profound air, "books are dangerous things--
that's the intellectual way of making love! You must be a great
excitement here, with all your ideas!--but now," he went on, "here
I am--I hurried back the moment breakfast was over. I have been
horribly bored--a lawn-tennis party yesterday, the females much to
the fore--it's no good that, it's not the game; at least it's not
lawn-tennis; it's a game all right, but I much suspect it has to do
with love-making rather than exercise."
"You seem very suspicious this morning," said Howard; "you accuse
me of flirting to begin with, and now you suspect lawn-tennis."
Jack shook his head. "I do hate love-making!" he said, "it spoils
everything--it gets in the way, and makes fools of people; the
longer I live, the more I see that most of the things that people
do are excuses for doing something else! But never mind that! I
said I had got to get back to be coached; I said that one of our
dons was staying in the village and had his eye on me.
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