t I
consider that what she needs most in this world is a swift kick in the
pants."

A Wooster could scarcely pass this. "Tuppy, old man!"

"It's no good saying 'Tuppy, old man'."

"Well, I do say 'Tuppy, old man'. Your tone shocks me. One raises the
eyebrows. Where is the fine, old, chivalrous spirit of the Glossops."

"That's all right about the fine, old, chivalrous spirit of the Glossops.
Where is the sweet, gentle, womanly spirit of the Angelas? Telling a
fellow he was getting a double chin!"

"Did she do that?"

"She did."

"Oh, well, girls will be girls. Forget it, Tuppy. Go to her and make it
up."

He shook his head.

"No. It is too late. Remarks have been passed about my tummy which it is
impossible to overlook."

"But, Tummy--Tuppy, I mean--be fair. You once told her her new hat made
her look like a Pekingese."

"It did make her look like a Pekingese. That was not vulgar abuse. It was
sound, constructive criticism, with no motive behind it but the kindly
desire to keep her from making an exhibition of herself in public.
Wantonly to accuse a man of puffing when he goes up a flight of stairs
is something very different."

I began to see that the situation would require all my address and
ingenuity. If the wedding bells were ever to ring out in the little
church of Market Snodsbury, Bertram had plainly got to put in some
shrewdish work. I had gathered, during my conversation with Aunt Dahlia,
that there had been a certain amount of frank speech between the two
contracting parties, but I had not realized till now that matters had
gone so far.

The pathos of the thing gave me the pip. Tuppy had admitted in so many
words that love still animated the Glossop bosom, and I was convinced
that, even after all that occurred, Angela had not ceased to love him. At
the moment, no doubt, she might be wishing that she could hit him with a
bottle, but deep down in her I was prepared to bet that there still
lingered all the old affection and tenderness. Only injured pride was
keeping these two apart, and I felt that if Tuppy would make the first
move, all would be well.

I had another whack at it.

"She's broken-hearted about this rift, Tuppy."

"How do you know? Have you seen her?"

"No, but I'll bet she is."

"She doesn't look it."

"Wearing the mask, no doubt. Jeeves does that when I assert my
authority."

"She wrinkles her nose at me as if I were a drain that had got out of
order."

"Merely the