Guthrie seemed at
first a little shy of enacting this drama before Howard, but Jack
said reassuringly, "Oh, he won't give us away--it will amuse him!"
This extravaganza continued with immense gusto and emphasis all the
way to luncheon, 'Erb Redmayne treating the Master with undisguised
contempt, and the Master performing meekly his bidding. Mr. Sandys
was in fits of laughter. "Excellent, excellent!" he cried among his
paroxysms. "You irreverent young rascals--but it was just the sort
of thing we used to do, I am afraid!"
There was no doubt that it was amusing; in another mood Howard
would have been enchanted by the performance, and even flattered at
being allowed to overhear it. Mr. Redmayne was admirably rendered,
and Jack's performance of the anxious and courteous Master,
treading the primrose path reluctantly and yet subserviently, was
very nearly as good. But Howard simply could not be amused, and it
made it almost worse for him to see that Maud was delighted, while
even Miss Merry was obviously though timidly enjoying the
enlargement of her experience, and exulting in her freedom from any
priggish disapproval.
They made their way to the top and found the tower, a shell of
masonry, which could be ascended by a winding staircase in a
turret. The view, from the platform at the summit, was certainly
enchanting. The tower stood in an open heathery space, with woods
enclosing it on every side; from the parapet they looked down over
the steeply falling tree-tops to an immense plain, where a river
widened to the sea.
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