“Boughey will lisp in numbers, you know,” said Carteret. “Overflows with it, the idiot! and makes old Grace so riled that she chucks the beautiful calf-bound poetry books he brings her regularly at his head. I’ve seen Boughey come out bleeding in other places than his heart. Whatever you do, my gallant, give a wide berth to the Bodlihead.” “Your views are a great privilege, I’m sure,” said I. Truth to tell, the more I saw of their game, the less I liked it. My sentiments, to which the wretched Comfort had given such an unpleasant publicity, were doubtless receiving this amount of attention that the conspirators might score all round. They were certainly scoring off me, and the idea came into my head that they were scoring off Miss Grace’s brothers also. For that quartette smoked with a steady enjoyment that was designed to show their complete indifference to the topic under discussion. Judging by the excessive disinterestedness of their mien, they were not even aware of its delicate character. “Devilish well-bred of you fellows to be so full of _dolce far niente_,” said the unblushing barrister. “Quite the right thing, of course; but we do wish you’d be rather more keenly alive to your responsibilities. Your knowledge of Grace’s pretty little ways under fire might be simply invaluable to Dimsdale. Simply _invaluable_. And you know you would never forgive yourselves if our ingenuous Dimsdale got badly mauled through lacking that expert advice that you are so well qualified to give him.” “What’s the speech about, Jimmy?” asked Archie. “Is it on Ritualism, or are you practising the art of addressing the jury?” “This intellectual obsession is sad,” said Toddles. “Dimsdale has decided to propose to Grace, who we have reason to believe is a connection of yours. We are now forming ourselves into a committee that has for its object the protection of Dimsdale. The problem we are called upon to settle at this stage is, whether it would be safer for him to prosecute his addresses in a suit of mail, or is she likely to be sufficiently overawed if he goes armed with a six-shooter only. Archie, the committee would be glad to have your views.” “Dimsdale,” said that oracle, turning to me, “I don’t know who’s put you up to this, but whoever they are they’re not humane.” “They ought to be kicked,” said George. “He’s in a big enough funk already, without you men doing your little bit,” said the Optimist.