THE DINNER WHICH FAILED
It was rather a shock to discover that I was expected to travel with those five men in an omnibus. It was one of the private sort, and there were two men in livery; but it was an omnibus. I quite started when I got outside the front-door and saw it there.
“Dear me!” I exclaimed. “Am I supposed to ride in an omnibus? I can’t bear omnibuses.”
Mr Hammond was inclined to stammer.
“It’s—it’s—it’s a private omnibus.”
“Is it? How interesting. Am I intended to consider that fact interesting? Was I expected to take it for granted that I should be required to ride in a public omnibus, among the penny fares?”
Mr Hammond was inclined to stammer still more.
“Fact is, six rather awkward number—never heard of a carriage that would hold them all.”
“Two might have gone on th
