And now he did not quite know how the Duke would go
through the ceremony. 'The other fellows' would come and stare at
a man whom they had all been taught to regard as the most un-
Beargardenish of men. But he was especially anxious to make things
pleasant for his father.
'What shall I order?' said the son as he took the Duke into a
dressing-room to wash his hands. The Duke suggested that anything
sufficient for his son would certainly be sufficient for him.
Nothing especial occurred during the dinner, which the Duke
appeared to enjoy very much. 'Yes; I think it is a very good
soup,' he said. 'I don't think they ever give me any soup at
home.' Then the son expressed his opinion that unless his father
looked about rather more sharply, 'they' very soon would provide
no dinner at all, remarking that experience had taught him that
the less people demanded the more they were 'sat upon'. The Duke
did like his dinner,--or rather he liked the feeling that he was
dining with his son. A report that the Duke of Omnium was with
Lord Silverbridge soon went round the room, and they who were
justified by some previous acquaintance came up to greet him.
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