"I mean that if he gives a lot away he expects to make a lot besides. He is a business man, you see," Jack returned. "Business men are the backbone of England," Mrs. Faulkner said at once. "But they aren't heroes or anybody of that kind," Jack answered. Mrs. Faulkner shook her head sorrowfully. "You young men are all alike, you will never allow your parents to have any virtues." I was on the point of breaking a silence which had been extraordinarily prolonged, but Jack got ahead of me. "I know every one is always saying that," he began, "but I don't think it is true. If you praised my father for being generous he would simply laugh at you. He isn't built that way, you see, and he would think anybody a fool who gave a tremendous lot without hoping to get something back. It is a matter of business with him and he is honest enough to admit it." "You do allow that he is honest," Mrs. Faulkner put in. "Of course," Jack replied quite good-temperedly, "only no one cares to brag about their relations unless they want to be called a snob or a bore. It wouldn't do, you see, for a man to go about declaring that he had an uncle who was miles ahead of everybody else's uncle, or an aunt who could give a start to any other aunt in the world." "It depends upon what sort of start the aunt gave," Nina, who had been talking to Fred, remarked, and I knew by her smile that she intended this for humour; but Fred did not hear what she said, or I expect he would have laughed. Sometimes he was very weak with Nina. "I am to believe then," Mrs. Faulkner said, "that all of you are very proud of your parents, only it is what you call bad form to admit it." Jack gave a great laugh which made everything rattle on the table, and Mrs. Faulkner, being unaccustomed to him, looked surprised. "Why is it such a joke?" she asked. "I am sorry," Jack replied; "I laugh sometimes quite unexpectedly, in my bath and places like that. I think my nerves must be wrong." "Cigarettes," Mrs. Faulkner declared. "I think I shall write to the papers about the University man of the day; I don't understand him in the least," and I unfortunately caught Fred's eye and smiled. Her statement seemed to account for so much unnecessary correspondence. "Do," Jack answered, "and Foster, Godfrey and I will answer it." "There wouldn't be much to write, which any one who hasn't been at Cambridge or here would believe," Fred said. "Why not?" Mrs. Faulkner asked. "Because they wouldn't understand that a great many men amuse themselves in odd ways and yet are not complete idiots. If you saw us dancing round a bonfire you might think we were all mad, but we aren't a bit." "I shouldn't choose a bonfire to dance round," Mrs. Faulkner said. "That's just it," Fred replied; "but it's very good sport when you happen to like it."