Itwasstraoseehi,afteralltheseyears,hereoforofEton,lookgsoprosperoandsolid.Itwasnotonlythef?leshthathehadputon,butalsotheclothes,thatadehihardtnize.Intheolddays,aniitationfurathadseedtobeasantegralpartofhiaswerehisill-shornnternjaws.Butnowhisstuwasaodelofridsoberoderation,drag,notcallg,attentiontoitself.Helookedlikeabanker.Anyoneuldhavebeenproudtobeseenoffbyhi.
“Standback,please!”thetrawasabouttostart,andIwavedfarewelltoyfriend.LeRosdidnotstandback.HestoodcspgbothhandsthehandsoftheyoungAri.“Standback,sir,please!”heobeyed,butquicklydartedfatowhispersof?alword.Ithkthereweretearshereyes.Therecertalyweretearshiswhen,atlength,havgwatchedthetraoutofsight,heturnedround.Heseed,heless,delightedtosee.HeaskedwhereIhadbeenhidgalltheseyears;andsiultaneolyrepaidthehalf-asthoughithadbeenborrowedyesterday.Helkedhisare,andwalkedwithslowlyalongtheptfor,saygwithleasurehereadydraaticcriticisseverySaturday.
Itoldhi,return,howuchhewasissedoage.“Ah,yes,”hesaid,“Ineverathestagenowadays.”Heidsoephasisontheword“stage”.andIaskedhiwhere,then,hedidact.“Ofor,”heanswered.“Youan,”saidI,“thatyoureciteats?”Hesiled.“This,”hewhispered,strikghisstitheground,“istheptforIan.”Hadhisysterioprosperityunhgedhi?Helookedquitesane.Ibeggedhitobeoreexplicit.
“Isuppose,”hesaidpresently,givgalightforthecigarwhichhehadoffered,“Youhavebeenseegafriendoff?Iassented.HeaskedwhatIsupposedhehadbeendog.IsaidthatIhadwatchedhidogthesathg.“No,”hesaidgravely.“Thatdywasnotafriendofe.Itherforthef?irsttithis,lessthanhalfanho,here.”andagahestrucktheptforwithhisstick.
InfessedthatIwasbewildered.Hesiled.“Youay,”hesaid,“haveheardoftheAnglo-AriSocialBureau?Ihadnot.HeexpedtothatofthethoandsofAriswhoannuallypassthroughEngndthereareanyhundredswhohavenoEnglishfriends.Intheolddaystheyedtlettersoftrodu.ButtheEnglisharesohospitablethattheselettersarehardlyworththepapertheyarewrittenon.“Th,”aidLeRos,“theA.A.S.B.suppliesalowant.Arisareasociablepeople,andostofthehaveplentyofoospend.TheA.A.S.B.suppliesthewithEnglishfriends.F?iftypertofthefeesispaidovertothefriends.Theotherf?iftyisretaedbytheA.A.S.B.Ianot,as!Adirector.IfIwere,Ishouldbeaveryrideed.Iaonlyaneployee.ButevensoIdoverywell.Iaoneoftheseers-off.”
AgaIaskedforenlightennt.“ManyAris,”hesaid,“otaffordtokeepfriendsEngnd.Buttheyallaffordtobeseenoff.Thefeeisonlyf?ivepounds(enty-f?ivedolrs)forasgletraveller;apounds(fortydolrs)forapartyofoorore.TheysendthattotheBureau,givgthedateoftheirdeparture,andadescriptionbywhichtheseer-offid.“Ofurseitisworthit,”saidLeRos.“Itpreventsthefrofeelg‘Outofit’.Itearnsthetherespectoftheguard.Itsavesthefrobegdespisedbytheirfellow-passehepeoplewhogtobeontheboat.Itgivestheafootgforthewholevoyage.Besides,itisagreatpleasureitself.Yousawseegthatyoungdyoff.Didn’tyouthkIdiditbeautifully?”“Beautifully,”Iaditted.“Ienviedyou.TherewasI—”“Yes,Iiage.Therewereyou,shuff?lgfroheadtofoot,stargbnklyatyourfriend,trygtoakeion.Iknow.That’showIedtobeyself,beforeIstudied,aothethgprofessionally.Idon’tsayI’perfectyet.I’stillaartyrtoptfht.Arailwaystationistheostdiff?icultofallpcestoact,asyouhavedisveredforyourself.”“But,”Isaidwithresentnt,“Iwasn’ttrygtoact.Ireallyfelt.”“sodidI,yboy,”aidLeRos.“You’tactwithoutfeelg.What’s-his-na,theFren—Diderot,yes—saidyouuld;butwhatdidheknowaboutit?Don’tyouseethosetearsyeyeswherastarted?Ihadn’tforcedthe.ItellyouIwasoved.Sowereyou,Idaresay.Butyouuldn’thavepupedupateartoproveit.You’texpressyourfeelgs.Inotherwords,you’tact.Atanyrate,“headdedkdly,”notarailwaystation.”“Teach!”cried.Helookedthoughtfullyat.“Well,”hesaidatlength,“theseeg-offseasonispracticallyover.Yes,I’llgiveyouaurse.Ihaveagoodanypupilsonhandalready;butyes,”hesaid,nsultganorebook,“IuldgiveyouanhouronTuesdaysandFridays.”