George's idea was to get home. Quick. There was no possible chanceof a second meeting with Maud that night. They had met and hadbeen whirled asunder. No use to struggle with Fate. Best to give inand hope that another time Fate would be kinder. What George wantednow was to be away from all the gay glitter and the fairylike toutensemble and the galaxy of fair women and brave men, safe in hisown easy-chair, where nothing could happen to him. A nice sense ofduty would no doubt have taken him back to his post in order fullyto earn the sovereign which had been paid to him for his servicesas temporary waiter; but the voice of Duty called to him in vain.

　　If the British aristocracy desired refreshments let them get themfor themselves--and like it! He was through.

　　But if George had for the time being done with the Britisharistocracy, the British aristocracy had not done with him. Hardlyhad he reached the hall when he encountered the one member of theorder whom he would most gladly have avoided.

　　Lord Belpher was not in genial mood. Late hours always made hishead ache, and he was not a dancing man; so that he was by nowfully as weary of the fairylike tout ensemble as was George. But,being the centre and cause of the night's proceedings, he wascompelled to be present to the finish. He was in the position ofcaptains who must be last to leave their ships, and of boys whostand on burning decks whence all but they had fled. He had spentseveral hours shaking hands with total strangers and receiving witha frozen smile their felicitations on the attainment of hismajority, and he could not have been called upon to meet a largerhorde of relations than had surged round him that night if he hadbeen a rabbit. The Belpher connection was wide, straggling overmost of England; and first cousins, second cousins and even thirdand fourth cousins had debouched from practically every county onthe map and marched upon the home of their ancestors. The effort ofhaving to be civil to all of these had told upon Percy. Like theheroine of his sister Maud's favourite poem he was "aweary,aweary," and he wanted a drink. He regarded George's appearance asexceedingly opportune.

　　"Get me a small bottle of champagne, and bring it to the library.""Yes, sir."The two words sound innocent enough, but, wishing as he did toefface himself and avoid publicity, they were the most unfortunatewhich George could have chosen. If he had merely bowed acquiescenceand departed, it is probable that Lord Belpher would not have takena second look at him. Percy was in no condition to subject everyonehe met to a minute scrutiny. But, when you have been addressed foran entire lifetime as "your lordship", it startles you when awaiter calls you "Sir". Lord Belpher gave George a glance in whichreproof and pain were nicely mingled emotions quickly supplanted byamazement. A gurgle escaped him.