He glanced with an intention freely sarcastic at an easy possibility.

"The extraordinary vitality of Brookenham ?" Mr.Longdon, with nippers in place again, fixed on him a gravity that failed to prevent his discovering in the eyes behind them a shy reflexion of his irony.

"Oh Brookenham! You must tell me all about Brookenham." "I see that's not what you mean." Mr.Longdon forbore to deny it.

"I wonder if you'll understand what I mean." Vanderbank bristled with the wish to be put to the test, but was checked before he could say so.

"And what's HIS place--Brookenham's ?" "Oh Rivers and Lakes--an awfully good thing.