I rather think he
gave me his blessing, and I went away feeling that I had been
almost recommended to repeat my performance. Gretton's a sensible
man. This is a good College. The thing would have been mismanaged
anywhere else; but now I have not only an unblemished character,
but I am like gold tried in the furnace."
"One more thing," said Howard; "why not get your people to come up
for two or three days? It will clear off the whole affair. I think
they would like to be asked, and I should be very glad to help to
look after them."
"It will be a bore," said Jack, making a grimace; "it wrecks my
health to take people round to King's and Trinity. It simply knocks
me up; but I expect you are right, and I will ask them. You won't
fail me? When I go off duty, you will go on? If that is clearly
understood, they shall come. I know Maud would like to realise my
background, as she says; and my father will rush to the 'Varsity
Library, and break the spirit of the Pemmer Dons. He'll have the
time of his life; but he deserves a treat--he really wrote me a
very decent letter. By George, though, these emotional experiences
are not in my line, though they reveal the worth of suffering, as
the Chaplain said in his Hospital Sermon last Sunday."
Howard wrote a further note, saying that he hoped that Mr. Sandys
and Maud would be able to come; and it was soon arranged that they
should spend the inside of a week at Cambridge, before the May
week, as the Vicar said he had little taste for social pleasures,
and had some matters of considerable importance to turn up in the
Library, to say nothing of the intellectual stimulus he
anticipated.
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