Page:The Smart Set (Volume 46).djvu/19
THE CONNOISSEUR OF EMOTION THE TESTER OF THRILLS By Louis
CYRIL DENISON, private secretary, was lounging as usual in Armchair in the library of his employer's house in London. He was smoking a cigarette and reading a novel, also as usual. It was an afternoon in winter. Denison put the book on his knees, yawned, and then took
up the book again. After a minute or two the door opened and the butler, Wilmot, appeared.
“You rang, sir?” he enquired.n“Whiskey, Wilmot, please,” said Cyril, more briskly than one might have thought.
The man hesitated.
“T’m afraid not, sir,” unexpectedly.
“Oh, come now, Wilmot.” Denison was gently remonstrant. ‘Whiskey is indispensable.”
“Very sorry, sir.” The butler ap- proached him in a confidential, propi- tiatory manner. “Mrs. Joyce is—er— not favorable to the consumption of spirits at this time of day. I’m only doing my duty, sir, in acquainting you with the fact.”
“Absurd!” Cyril was a trifle petu- lant. “She won’t come in here, and you know dear Theodore wouldn't mind.” (‘Dear Theodore” was his em- ployer.)
“Mrs. Joyce”—the butler remained unconvinced—“Mrs. Joyce keeps a careful eye, sir.”
There was a pause.
“On second thoughts’—Cyril spoke with a change of tone—“‘On second thoughts, I could do with two whis- keys. One would be indispensable.
he replied, not
Wilkinson
The other purely altruistic. .. . Of course, you take the meaning of the word ‘altruistic’ ?”
“Certainly, sir. I am the Vice-Presi-— dent of an Ethical Society.”
“That’s quite as it should be, Wil- mot.”
“One of our leading Ethical Socie- ties, sir.’ The butler came a step or two nearer to Cyril, and lowered his voice, “In the Holloway Road. Meet- ings for debate every third Sunday in the month at half past seven... . Ex- cuse the liberty, sir, but if you could see your way to come one night—as my puest, sir—”
“Delighted,” Cyril waved his hand affably, “delighted.”
Wilmot bowed.
' “The pleasure would | be ours,” he said in his stately way, “ours entirely. And, if I might mention it, would you mind calling me ‘Mr. Wilmot’ for ‘the occasion? It might be a trifle more suitable under the circumstances.”
“Certainly, certainly. And-suppose I call you ‘Wilmot’ by mistake, mind you cover my confusion by calling me ‘Denison,’ won’t you?”
“That is very considerate of you, sir.” The butler bowed again. “Coffee and other light refreshments are served at the close of the proceedings. You will not object to taking part in the de- bate, sir?”
“Oh, I'll talk for as long as you like.”
“Speeches are limited to twenty min- utes for members, but in the case of a guest a little more license is usually recognized. Half an hour . would just about hit it for you, sir.”
Copyright by Smart Set Company, Inc., 1915 3