My father, who is a clergyman in Norfolk, says that there is hardly a squire in the country who does not--" "But about Gibbon ?" Hewet interrupted.

The look of nervous tension which had come over every face was relaxed by the interruption.
"You find him monotonous, I suppose.

But you know--" He opened the book, and began searching for passages to read aloud, and in a little time he found a good one which he considered suitable.

But there was nothing in the world that bored Ridley more than being read aloud to, and he was besides scrupulously fastidious as to the dress and behaviour of ladies.
In the space of fifteen minutes he had decided against Mrs.Flushing on the ground that her orange plume did not suit her complexion, that she spoke too loud, that she crossed her legs, and finally, when he saw her accept a cigarette that Hewet offered her, he jumped up, exclaiming something about "bar parlours," and left them.

Mrs.Flushing was evidently relieved by his departure.