n you like, get up when you like, work when you
like, and, if you use a little discretion, do what you like. Don't
become a slave to any one thing, the River or the Union or even the
Classics. You can get into the Civil Service without straining
yourself, so make the most of your time. Doing the kind of work you
like is the only really good thing in the world."

Just then Margaret opened the door and looked in.

"Father," she said, "you're booming terribly. Mother says you must
come and play games."

"I never play games."

"Well, mother says you must. All of you!"

"Are we wanted at once?"

"Yes."

"Then, gentlemen, we must yield. We were born too late. The
matriarchy has returned. Do you agree to that, Cartmell?"

"Certainly!"

"There was a time when no young lady would have the daring to invade
the dining-room and order the men to play games. Games, indeed!"

"Don't start again, father," interrupted Margaret. "I won't budge till
you do."

"Just think what you might hear!"

"Oh, I'm not a 'puffick lidy.' They passed away with the patriarchy.
Now, come along!"

Games were a success because they were taken seriously. Mr Berrisford
asserted that if he must waste time in that particular way he meant to
do it properly. So they all exercised great ardour and ingenuity,
composed pretty rhymes, and drew the strangest pictures. At the end he
insisted, however, that instead of taking famous men beginning with C,
they should have infamous people. The test of infamy was to be a
referendum. The game began well enough, because no opposition was
raised to such people as Cicero or Christopher Columbus. But the
inclusion of both Cromwell and Charles I. caused a heated argument and
Cartmell was sure that they couldn't both be on one black list.

But Mr Berrisford exposed the crimes of both at great length. Crippen
and Calvin both had defenders and the game at last broke up in
confusion.

Martin enjoyed the evening, partly from vanity (he had done some quite
clever things), and partly because he could watch Viola Cartmell
without being noticed. To watch her was heavenly. There was nothing
subtle or analytic in his adoration: for him there was just an
indivisible whole called Viola. And that was perfect.

At eleven Robert declared that he still had some of the Ethics left and
retired to find out about the contemplative life. Mr Berrisford took
Godfrey Cartmell to smoke a cigar in his study and t