XXXVII 



HUMOURS pursued us during our brief sojourn in the 

 hotel. We are very fond of that hotel. It is associated 

 with the repeated charm of its hospitable reception on each 

 of our visits. We were glad to see we were given the same 

 set of rooms as on a previous occasion/ and when we 

 found the same broken lock on the door, we felt indeed 

 that we were among old friends. 



When our tea was brought we were lying down to rest 

 we had however to ring and protest. 

 " Look at this spoon ! " we exclaimed dramatically. 

 The soft-voiced maid looked at it quizzically. 

 "What is it?" Then she smiled. "It's apt to have 

 been in the honey, by the look of it/' she observed 

 dispassionately. 



" Please take it away/' we said, " and bring another." 

 She thought us strange and dull of wit. There was a clean 

 napkin on every plate. But no doubt with a mental 

 "Ah, God help us. Travellers is queer folk! "she 

 departed, we feel sure, no farther than the passage, there 

 to wipe the honey off on the inside of her apron. 

 The next day saw us landed at a small wayside station in 

 the rich flat land of Meath, where we were met by a charm- 

 ing old-fashioned " turn out," a handsome waggonette and 

 a sturdy pair of carriage horses. At least we thought the 

 waggonette old-fashioned and delightful, in these motor 

 times,- but it seems it was on the contrary new and 

 wonderful. 



The coachman surveyed us tentatively two or three times 

 while our divers small goods were being collected, magis- 

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