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sensible； clear…seeing woman fell to sighing and blushing； starting and
stammering at the sounding of a name； as though for all the world she
had been a love…sick girl in her teens。
Susan Fossett； her bosom friend； brought the strange tidings to
Bohemia one foggy November afternoon； her opportunity being a tea…
party given by Peter Hope to commemorate the birthday of his adopted
daughter and sub…editor； Jane Helen； commonly called Tommy。 The
actual date of Tommy's birthday was known only to the gods； but out of
the London mist to wifeless； childless Peter she had come the evening of
a certain November the eighteenth； and therefore by Peter and his
friends November the eighteenth had been marked upon the calendar as
a day on which they should rejoice together。
〃It is bound to leak out sooner or later；〃 Susan Fossett was convinced；
〃so I may as well tell you： that gaby Mary Ramsbotham has got herself
engaged。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 was Peter Hope's involuntary ejaculation。
〃Precisely what I mean to tell her the very next time I see her；〃
added Susan。
〃Who to？〃 demanded Tommy。
〃You mean 'to whom。' The preeposition governs the objective case；〃
corrected her James Douglas McTear； commonly called 〃The Wee
Laddie；〃 who himself wrote English better than he spoke it。
〃I meant 'to whom；'〃 explained Tommy。
〃Ye didna say it；〃 persisted the Wee Laddie。
〃I don't know to whom；〃 replied Miss Ramsbotham's bosom friend；
sipping tea and breathing indignation。 〃To something idiotic and
incongruous that will make her life a misery to her。〃
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Somerville； the briefless； held that in the absence of all data such
conclusion was unjustifiable。
〃If it had been to anything sensible；〃 was Miss Fossett's opinion；
〃she would not have kept me in the dark about it； to spring it upon me
like a bombshell。 I've never had so much as a hint from her until I
received this absurd scrawl an hour ago。〃
Miss Fossett produced from her bag a letter written in pencil。
〃There can be no harm in your hearing it；〃 was Miss Fossett's excuse；
〃it will give you an idea of the state of the poor thing's mind。〃
The tea…drinkers left their cups and gathered round her。 〃Dear
Susan；〃 read Miss Fossett； 〃I shall not be able to be with you to… morrow。
Please get me out of it nicely。 I can't remember at the moment what it
is。 You'll be surprised to hear that I'm ENGAGED to be married； I
mean； I can hardly REALISE it。 I hardly seem to know where I am。
Have just made up my mind to run down to Yorkshire and see
grandmamma。 I must do SOMETHING。 I must TALK to
SOMEBODY andforgive me； dearbut you ARE so sensible； and just
nowwell I don't FEEL sensible。 Will tell you all about it when I see
younext week； perhaps。 You must TRY to like him。 He is SO
handsome and REALLY cleverin his own way。 Don't scold me。 I
never thought it possible that ANYONE could be so happy。 It's quite a
different sort of happiness to ANY other sort of happiness。 I don't know
how to describe it。 Please ask Burcot to let me off the antequarian
congress。 I feel I should do it badly。 I am so thankful he has NO
relativesin England。 I should have been so TERRIBLY nervous。
Twelve hours ago I could not have DREAMT of it； and now I walk on
tiptoe for fear of waking up。 Did I leave my chinchilla at your rooms？
Don't be angry with me。 I should have told you if I had known。 In
haste。 Yours； Mary。〃
〃It's dated from Marylebone Road； and yesterday afternoon she did
leave her chinchilla in my rooms； which makes me think it really must
be from Mary Ramsbotham。 Otherwise I should have my doubts；〃
added Miss Fossett； as she folded up the letter and replaced it in her bag。
〃Id is love！〃 was the explanation of Dr。 William Smith； his round；
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red face illuminated with poetic ecstasy。 〃Love has gone to her has
dransformed her once again into the leedle maid。〃
〃Love；〃 retorted Susan Fossett； 〃doesn't transform an intelligent；
educated woman into a person who writes a letter all in jerks； underlines
every other word； spells antiquarian with an 'e；' and Burcott's name；
whom she has known for the last eight years； with only one 't。' The
woman has gone stark； staring mad！〃
〃We must wait until we have seen him；〃 was Peter's judicious view。
〃I should be so glad to think that the dear lady was happy。〃
〃So should I；〃 added Miss Fossett drily。
〃One of the most sensible women I have ever met；〃 commented
William Clodd。 〃Lucky man； whoever he is。 Half wish I'd thought of
it myself。〃
〃I am not saying that he isn't；〃 retorted Miss Fossett。 〃It isn't him
I'm worrying about。〃
〃I preesume you mean 'he；'〃 suggested the Wee Laddie。 〃The verb
'to be'〃
〃For goodness' sake；〃 suggested Miss Fossett to Tommy； 〃give that
man something to eat or drink。 That's the worst of people who take up
grammar late in life。 Like all converts； they become fanatical。〃
〃She's a ripping good sort； is Mary Ramsbotham；〃 exclaimed Grindley
junior； printer and publisher of Good Humour。 〃The marvel to me is
that no man hitherto has ever had the sense to want her。〃
〃Oh； you men！〃 cried Miss Fossett。 〃A pretty face and an empty
head is all you want。〃
〃Must they always go together？〃 laughed Mrs。 Grindley junior； nee
Helvetia Appleyard。
〃Exceptions prove the rule；〃 grunted Miss Fossett。
〃What a happy saying that is；〃 smiled Mrs。 Grindley junior。 〃I
wonder sometimes how conversation was ever carried on before it was
invented。〃
〃De man who would fall in love wid our dear frent Mary；〃 thought
Dr。 Smith； 〃he must be quite egsceptional。〃
〃You needn't talk about her as if she was a monsterI mean were；〃
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corrected herself Miss Fossett； with a hasty glance towards the Wee
Laddie。 〃There isn't a man I know that's worthy of her。〃
〃I mean；〃 explained the doctor； 〃dat he must be a man of character… …of
brain。 Id is de noble man dat is attracted by de noble woman。〃
〃By the chorus…girl more often；〃 suggested Miss Fossett。
〃We must hope for the best；〃 counselled Peter。 〃I cannot believe
that a clever； capable woman like Mary Ramsbotham would make a fool
of herself。〃
〃From what I have seen；〃 replied Miss Fossett； 〃it's just the clever
peopleas regards this particular matterwho do make fools of
themselves。〃
Unfortunately Miss Fossett's judgment proved to be correct。 On
being introduced a fortnight later to Miss Ramsbotham's fiance； the
impulse of Bohemia was to exclaim； 〃Great Scott！ Whatever in the
name of〃 Then on catching sight of Miss Ramsbotham's transfigured
face and trembling hands Bohemia recollected itself in time to murmur
instead： 〃Delighted； I'm sure！〃 and to offer mechanical congratulations。
Reginald Peters