Mademoiselle was standing at the hall door, and somewhat ruffled Jimmy's dignity by enquiring in voluble French whether he hadn't heard the gong five minutes ago and whether he had already washed his hands for lunch. She smiled affably at Young George, however, as she shook hands with him, and said that evidently in the vacations one must not be too exigent as to punctuality. "Commencez donc, Mam'selle," said Jimmy. "Nous allons laver les mains, moi et Monsieur Grafton. Nous descendons toute de suite." "I say, you _can_ chuck it off!" said Young George admiringly, as they went upstairs; and Jimmy felt his self-respect restored. "I've picked it up going abroad," he said. "You've got to be pretty good at it for Diplomacy, you know. May as well get used to it early." "I thought you'd chucked the idea of Diplomacy." "Ah, that's when I thought I should want to make money--_you_ know." "Oh, I see. You were going to chuck Oxford too." "I shall go to Oxford. The governor was there. Pity to break the tradition. And you may as well have a good time while you're young. I shan't settle down for some years now. I'm glad I've made a clean breast of it all to you, George. It gives one a good deal to think about, but I feel I've done the right thing." "I'm sure you have," said Young George sympathetically. "You don't want to tie yourself up at your age." The four Beckley girls, flaxen-haired and pig-tailed, and Mademoiselle, were already at table, and Young George went round and shook hands with the girls before taking his seat. He privately thought them a very dull lot, being used to the gay talkativeness of his own sisters, which was a great contrast to their don't-speak-till-you're-spoken-to manner, but he did not allow his opinion to be apparent; and he was excessively liked in the Beckley family, the younger members of which, always excepting the son of the house, were not accustomed to so much notice as Young George gave them. Mademoiselle liked him also, and had said of him that his manners were as good as those of a young Frenchman. If the Beckley girls had not thought that they were a good deal better this well-meant commendation would have reduced him in their eyes; for they hated all things French with a deadly hatred. Mademoiselle, out of compliment to Young George, permitted English to be spoken during the meal. It was only Jimmy who forgot the permission occasionally, his sisters being rejoiced to be freed from the shackles of the detested tongue, and taking a more lively part in the conversation in consequence. Young George found Ruth, next to whom he sat, more sympathetic than he had been aware of. She had a great admiration for Barbara, whose freedom of speech and action she secretly envied, and Young George, who was proud of all his sisters, told several anecdotes of Barbara's ready wit, which were well received.