Chapter
24
PETER wrote to tell of the invitation which Legge had extended to him. Johnny Gray had the letter by the first post. He sat in his big armchair, his silk dressing-gown wrapped around him, his chin on his fists; and seeing him thus, the discreet Parker did not intrude upon his thoughts until Johnny, reading the letter again, tore it in pieces and threw it into the wastepaper-basket.
He had a whimsical practice of submitting most of his problems, either in parable form or more directly, to his imperturbable manservant.
"Parker, if you were asked to take dinner in a lion's den, what dress would you wear?"
Parker looked down at him thoughtfully, biting his lip.
"It would largely depend, sir, on whether there were ladies to be present," he said. "Under those extraordinary circu
