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1、MrCardinal'sfather,SirDavidCardinal,hadbeenformanyyearshislordship'sclosestfriendandcolleague,buthadbeentragicallykilledinaridingaccidentsomethreeorfouryearspriortotheeveningIamnowrecalling.Meanwhile,theyoungMrCardinalhadbeenbuildingsomethingofanameforhims
2、elfasacolumnist,specializinginwittycommentsoninternationalaffairs.Evidently,thesecolumnswererarelytoLordDarlington'sliking,forIcanrecallnumerousinstancesofhislookingupfromajournalandsayingsomethinglike:"YoungReggiewritingsuchnonsenseagain.Justaswellhisfath
3、er'snotalivetoreadthis."ButMrCardinal'scolumnsdidnotpreventhimbeingafrequentvisitoratthehouse;indeed,hislordshipneverforgotthattheyoungmanwashisgodsonandalwaystreatedhimaskin.Atthesametime,ithadneverbeenMrCardinal'shabittoturnuptodinnerwithoutanypriorwarni
4、ng,andIwasthusalittlesurprisedwhenonansweringthedoorthateveningIfoundhimstandingthere,hisbriefcasecradledinbotharms."Oh,hello,Stevens,howareyou?"hesaid."JusthappenedtobeinabitofajamtonightandwonderedifLordDarlingtonwouldputmeupforthenight.""It'sverynicetos
5、eeyouagain,sir.Ishalltellhislordshipyouarehere.""I'dintendedtostayatMrRoland'splace,butthereseemstohavebeensomemisunderstandingandthey'vegoneawaysomewhere.Hopeit'snottooinconvenientatimetocall.Imean,nothingspecialontonight,isthere?""Ibelieve,sir,hislordshi
6、pisexpectingsomegentlementocallafterdinner.""Oh,that'sbadluck.Iseemtohavechosenabadnight.I'dbetterkeepmyheadlow.I'vegotsomepiecesIhavetoworkontonightanyway."MrCardinalindicatedhisbriefcase."Ishalltellhislordshipyouare-here,sir.Youare,inanycase,ingoodtimeto
7、joinhimfordinner.""Jollygood,IwashopingImighthavebeen.ButIdon'texpectMrsMortimer'sgoingtobeverypleasedwithme."IleftMrCardinalinthedrawingroomandmademywaytothestudy,whereIfoundhislordshipworkingthroughsomepageswithalookofdeepconcentration.WhenItoldhimofMrCa
8、rdinal'sarrival,alookofsurprisedannoyancecrossedhisface.Thenheleanedbackinhischairasthoughpuzzlingsomethingout."TellMrCardinalI'llbedownshortly,"hesaidfinally."Hecanamusehimselfforalittlewhile."WhenIreturnedd
