Chapter 23

           July1.—Ifind,onlookingovermydiary,nothingofanyconsequencehastakenplaceduringthelastmonth.To-dayweloseLupin,whohastakenfurnishedapartmentsatBayswater,nearhisfriends,Mr.andMrs.MurrayPosh,attwoguineasaweek.Ithinkthisismostextravagantofhim,asitishalfhissalary.Lupinsaysoneneverlosesbyagoodaddress,and,tousehisownexpression,BrickfieldTerraceisabit“off.”Whetherhemeansitis“faroff”Idonotknow.Ihavelongsincegivenuptryingtounderstandhiscuriousexpressions.Isaidtheneighbourhoodhadalwaysbeengoodenoughforhisparents.Hisreplywas:“Itisnoquestionofbeinggoodorbad.Thereisnomoneyinit,andIamnotgoingtorotawaymylifeinthesuburbs.”

           Wearesorrytolosehim,butperhapshewillgetonbetterbyhimself,andthereMaybesometruthinhisremarkthatanoldandayounghorsecan’tpulltogetherinthesamecart.

           Gowingcalled,andsaidthatthehouseseemedquitepeaceful,andlikeoldtimes.HelikedMasterLupinverywell,butheoccasionallysufferedfromwhathecouldnothelp—youth.

           July2.—Cummingscalled,lookedverypale,andsaidhehadbeenveryillagain,andofcoursenotasinglefriendhadbeennearhim.Carriesaidshehadneverheardofit,whereuponhethrewdownacopyoftheBicycleNewsonthetable,withthefollowingparagraph:“Weregrettohearthatthatfavouriteoldroadster,Mr.Cummings(‘Long’Cummings),hasmetwithwhatmighthavebeenaseriousaccidentinRyeLane.