第51章

Nowheisdistendedwithmegalomania，nowheisdeflated，nowheisquarrelsome，nowimpenetrablyself-satisfied，butalwaysheissudden，jerky，fragmentary，energetic，and——insomesubtlefundamentalwaythatIfinddifficulttodefine——absurd。

Therestandsout——becauseofthetranquilbeautyofitssettingperhaps——atalkwehadintheverandaofthelittlepavilionnearmyworkshedsbehindCrestHillinwhichmyaeroplanesandnavigableballoonswerehoused。Itwasoneofmanysimilarconversations，andIdonotknowwhyitinparticularshouldsurviveitsfellows。Ithappensso。Hehadcomeuptomeafterhiscoffeetoconsultmeaboutacertainchalicewhichinamomentofsplendourandundertheimportunityofacountesshehaddeterminedtogivetoadeservingchurchintheeast-end。

I，inamomentofevenrashergenerosity，hadsuggestedEwartasapossibleartist。EwarthadproducedatonceanadmirablesketchforthesacredvesselsurroundedbyasortofwreathofMillieswithopenarmsandwingsandhaddrawnfiftypoundsonthestrengthofit。Afterthatcameaseriesofvexatiousdelays。

Thechalicebecamelessandlessofacommercialman’schalice，acquiredmoreandmoretheelusivequalityoftheHolyGrail，andatlasteventhedrawingreceded。

Myunclegrewrestive。”Yousee，George，they’llbegintowanttheblastedthing！”

“Whatblastedthing？”

“Thatchalice，damnit！They’rebeginningtoaskquestions。Itisn’tBusiness，George。”

“It’sart。”Iprotested，“andreligion。”

“That’sallverywell。Butit’snotagoodadforus，George，tomakeapromiseandnotdeliverthegoods。I’llhavetowriteoffyourfriendEwartasabaddebt，that’swhatitcomesto，andgotoadecentfirm。”。

Wesatoutsideondeckchairsintheverandaofthepavilion，smoked，drankwhisky，and，thechalicedisposedof，meditated。

Histemporaryannoyancepassed。Itwasanaltogethersplendidsummernight，followingablazing，indolentday。Fullmoonlightbroughtoutdimlythelinesoftherecedinghills，onewavebeyondanother；farbeyondwerethepin-pointlightsofLeatherhead，andintheforegroundthelittlestagefromwhichI

usedtostartuponmyglidersgleamedlikewetsteel。TheseasonmusthavebeenhighJune，fordowninthewoodsthathidthelightsoftheLadyGrovewindows，Irememberthenightingalesthrilledandgurgled。

“Wegothere，George。”saidmyuncle，endingalongpause。

“Didn’tIsay？”

“Say！——when？”Iasked。

“InthatholeintheTo’nemCourtRoad，eh？It’sbeenaStraightSquareFight，andhereweare！”

Inodded。

“’Membermetellingyou——Tono-Bungay？。Well。I’djustthatafternoonthoughtofit！”

“I’vefancie