Enough to add that he kept us laughing in his study until the
chapel bells rang him out.
As for Raffles, he appeared to me to feel far more compunction for
the fable which he had been compelled to foist upon one of the old
masters than for the immeasurably graver offence against society
and another Old Boy. This, indeed, did not worry him at all.; and
the story was received next day with absolute credulity on all.
sides. Nasmyth himself was the first to thank us both for our
spirited effort on his behalf; and the incident had the ironic
effect of establishing an immediate entente cordiale between Raffles
and his very latest victim. I must confess, however, that for my
own part I was thoroughly uneasy during the Old Boys' second innings,
when Raffles made a selfish score, instead of standing by me to tell
his own story in his own way. There was never any knowing with what
new detail he was about to embellish it: and I have still to receive
full credit for the tact that it required to follow his erratic lead
convincingly. Seldom have I been more thankful than when our train
started next morning, and the poor, unsuspecting Nasmyth himself
waved us a last farewell from the platform.
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