myself up and thanked her heartily by return of post. Three
days later, when looking for a cheque I had lost, I accidentally came
across her letter. "Help, help!" I cried. "This came days ago, and I
haven't answered yet." I sat down at once and thanked her
enthusiastically. Another week passed and I began to feel that I must
really make an effort to catch my correspondence up; so I got out all my
letters of congratulation of the last ten days and devoted an afternoon
to answering them. I used much the same form of thanks in all of them
... with the exception of Miss Popley's, which was phrased particularly
warmly.

So much for that. But Miss Popley is Celia's dear friend also. When I
made out my list of guests I included Miss Popley; so, in her list, did
Celia. The result was that Miss Popley received two invitations to the
wedding.... Sometimes I fear she must think we are pursuing her.

"What does she say about a present?" I asked.

"She wants us to tell her what we want."

"What _are_ we to say? If we said an elephant----"

"With a small card tied on to his ear, and 'Best wishes from Miss
Popley' on it. It would look heavenly among the other presents."

"You see what I mean, Celia. Are we to suggest something worth a
thousand pounds, or something worth ninepence? It's awfully kind of her,
but it makes it jolly difficult for us."

"Something that might cost anything from ninepence to a thousand
pounds," suggested Celia.

"Then that washes out the elephant."

"Can't you get the ninepenny ones now?"

"I suppose," I said, reverting to the subject which most weighed on me,
"she wouldn't like to give the men's voices for the choir?"

"No, I think a clock," said Celia. "A clock can cost anything you
like--or don't like."

"Right-o. And perhaps we'd better settle now. When it comes, how many
times shall we write and thank her for it?"

Celia considered. "Four times, I think," she said.

. . . . .

Well, as Celia says, it's too late to draw back now. But I shall be glad
when it's all over. As I began by saying, there's too much "arranging"
and "settling" and "fixing" about the thing for me. In the necessary
negotiations and preparations I fear I have not shone. And so I shall be
truly glad when we have settled down in our flat ... and Celia can
restore my confidence in myself once more by talking loudly to her
domestic staff about "The Master."

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