"The premiss," repeats the Professor, "that you would not admit just now. I do not say," he adds--[I hear the wheels. Can I jump up and say, "Excuse me!" and run out. I could if I was a young lady, or an elderly one. But a man can't do it, specially as President, or Host, without being rude]--"that you had not good grounds, but what are those grounds?" Here he plants his _binocle_ on his nose, leans back and stares at me. Good Heavens! If I hadn't differed from him, or, I mean, if I'd only understood what the---- _Happy Thought._--(_To ask seriously_), "Re-state, exactly, the premiss I disputed." [I'm sure to catch a glimpse of the trap and horses as they drive past the lake. Hang the Professor!] "Simply," says he, "in putting the first premiss, I used the old formula, viz., that the point in question was as clear as that two and two make four." "Good Heavens! have I been disputing _that_ with you?" I almost shout. "What else?" he asks, astonished. "Why ... I ..." I really cannot speak, I am so annoyed. I've lost a whole morning, and whole day, perhaps, and a jolly party, and--and--and-- "What's the matter?" asks Mrs. Boodels, handing her instrument of torture to the Professor. "What does he say?" "He says--" commences the Professor .... _Je me sauve!_ (_Exit myself, hurriedly._) I rush to the stable. "James! Where are they gone?" "They said, sir, as they were gone to the meet. 'Ounds is out near 'ere." [Illustration: "GONE TO THE MEET."] CHAPTER IX. A WET DAY. RAIN--THE MEDFORDS--CONVERSATION--A PROPOSAL--ACCEPTED--THE TRICK-- THE LECTURE. Provoking! "I do believe," says Miss Adelaide Cherton, "it's literally set in for rain." Mrs. Boodels, without troubling herself to raise her ear-trumpet, smiles blandly and proceeds with her knitting. _Happy Thought._ A deaf person can always talk to herself, and obtain a hearing. Miss Bella exclaims, "Oh, what shall we do if it rains?" Whereupon Miss Medford observes that the gentlemen will amuse us. [Miss Medford is an addition to our party. She was brought by Mrs. Orby Frimmely, and Mr. Frimmely subsequently came down with her brother Alfred Medford, a celebrated musical amateur, "of the nobility's concerts." "A very interesting looking young man," Mrs. Boodels observes aloud when he arrives, but she is a little afraid of him on finding that he can do _a_ conjuring trick. He only has one.] [Illustration: MISS MEDFORD. _Happy Thought._--"Japanese Tommy" style.] I continue reading the newspaper. I determine to withdraw presently to my own room, where I shall lock myself in and .... _Happy Thought for Wet Day._ Write letters. Jenkyns Soames observes that he shall devote his day to correcting his great work on Scientific Economy for the press. Mrs. Orby Frimmely says, that "it's wonderful to _her_, how Mr. Soames thinks of all the clever things he writes." [Illustration: MRS. ORBY FRIMMELY. _Happy Thought._--The Anyhow style.]