Miss Perry aged 66; Miss Rosseter 42; Mr.Benson 38; and Jacob 25.
"My old friend looks as well as ever," said Mr.Benson, tapping the bars of the parrot's cage; Miss Rosseter simultaneously praised the tea; Jacob handed the wrong plates; and Miss Perry signified her desire to approach more closely.

"Your brothers," she began vaguely.
"Archer and John," Jacob supplied her.

Then to her pleasure she recovered Rebecca's name; and how one day "when you were all little boys, playing in the drawing-room--" "But Miss Perry has the kettle-holder," said Miss Rosseter, and indeed Miss Perry was clasping it to her breast.

(Had she, then, loved Jacob's father ?) "So clever"-- "not so good as usual"-- "I thought it most unfair," said Mr.Benson and Miss Rosseter, discussing the Saturday Westminster.

Did they not compete regularly for prizes?
Had not Mr.Benson three times won a guinea, and Miss Rosseter once ten and sixpence?
Of course Everard Benson had a weak heart, but still, to win prizes, remember parrots, toady Miss Perry, despise Miss Rosseter, give tea-parties in his rooms (which were in the style of Whistler, with pretty books on tables), all this, so Jacob felt without knowing him, made him a contemptible ass.