"Most
absent-minded, he is. He's the talk of Oxford sometimes is the
Principal. What do you think he went and did only last term. Why, he was
having some of the senior men to tea and was going to put some coal on
the fire with the tongs and some sugar in his cup. Bothered if he didn't
put the sugar in the fire and a lump of coal in his cup. It didn't so
much matter him putting sugar in the fire. That's all according, as they
say. But fancy--well, I tell you we had a good laugh over it in the
lodge when the gentlemen came out and told me."
"Ought I to explain that I've already dined with him?" Mark asked.
"Are you in any what you might call immediate hurry to get away?" the
porter asked judicially.
"I'm in no hurry at all. I'd like to stay a bit longer."
"Then you'd better go to dinner with him again to-night and stay in
college over the Sunday. I'll take it upon myself to explain to the Dean
why you're still here. If it had been tea I should have said 'don't
bother about it,' but dinner's another matter, isn't it? And he always
has dinner laid for two or more in case he's asked anybody and
forgotten."
Thus it came about that for the second time Mark dined with the
Principal, who disconcerted him by saying when he arrived:
"I remember now that you dined with me the night before last.
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