Eloquent rode the bicycle left outside by Miss Buttermish, rode carefully, bearing the suit-case in his left hand. The village was quite deserted and he reached the great gates of the Manor House unchallenged. The gates stood open and he entered the dark shadowy drive without having encountered a living soul. Lights gleamed from the lower windows of the house, but the porch was in darkness. He rang loudly, and Fusby, the old manservant, switched on the light as he opened the door and revealed a square, oak-panelled room and the warning cards. The inner door leading to the hall was closed, but the sound of cheerful voices reached Eloquent. Fusby stood expectant, and in spite of his imperturbable and almost benedictory manner he looked mildly surprised. "Is Mrs Ffolliot at home?" Eloquent asked rather breathlessly. "She is, sir," Fusby answered, but in a tone that subtly conveyed the unspoken "to some people," fixing his eyes the while on the suitcase. "Do you think she could speak to me here?" Eloquent continued humbly. "I think not, sir; the mistress at present is dispensing tea to the fam'ly. She does not as a rule see people at the door. Can I take a message?" "I fear I must disturb her," said Eloquent, conscious all the time that Fusby's mild gaze was concentrated on the suit-case. "One of her sons"--for the life of him he couldn't remember the boy's ridiculous name--"has broken his arm." "Master Buz, sir?" asked Fusby, quite unmoved by the intelligence; "it's generally 'im." "Yes, Master Buz, and he asked me to give you this. . . . It's some things of his. I'll send for the suit-case--put it out of the way somewhere--he was dressed up . . . these are the clothes----" "He will 'ave 'is frolic," Fusby murmured indulgently; "a very light-'earted young gentleman he is--step this way, please, sir." Fusby opened a door behind him, and announced in the voice of one issuing an edict, "Mr Gallup." There seemed to Eloquent crowds of people in the hall, mostly gathered about a round table near the fire. He discerned Mrs Ffolliot in the very act of "dispensing tea" and General Grantly standing on the hearthrug warming his coat tails. Mary, too, he saw give a cup of tea into her grandfather's hands, and he was conscious of the presence of Mrs Grantly seated on an oaken settle at the other side of the fire from Mrs Ffolliot. These four were clear to him as he came into the hall. There was a fire of logs in the open fireplace and a good many lights, and Eloquent, coming out of the soft darkness of that winter afternoon, felt dazzled and intolerably hot.