The Girl on the Boat - Penn State University

and claimed that England had seen finer Julys. Mr.
Bennett, who had lived his life in a country of warmth
and sunshine, the thing affected in much the same way
as the early days of the Flood must have affected Noah.
A first startled resentment had given place to a despair
too militant to be called resignation. And with the despair
had come a strong distaste for his fellow human
beings, notably and in particular his old friend Mr.
Mortimer, who at this moment broke impatiently in
on his meditations.
“Come along, Bennett. It’s your deal. It’s no good
looking at the rain. Looking at it won’t stop it.”
Mr. Mortimer’s nerves also had become a little frayed
by the weather.
Mr. Bennett returned heavily to the table, where, with
Mr. Mortimer as partner he was playing one more interminable
rubber of bridge against Bream and Billie.
He was sick of bridge, but there was nothing else to do.
Mr. Bennett sat down with a grunt, and started to
deal. Half-way through the operation the sound of
rather stertorous breathing began to proceed from be-
P. G. Wodehouse
105
neath the table. Mr. Bennett glanced agitatedly down,
and curled his legs round his chair.
“I have fourteen cards,” said Mr. Mortimer. “That’s
the third time you’ve mis-dealt.”
“I don’t care how many cards you’ve got!” said Mr.
Bennett with heat. “That dog of yours is sniffing at my
ankles!”
He looked malignantly at a fine bulldog which now
emerged from its cover and, sitting down, beamed at
the company. He was a sweet-tempered dog, handicapped
by the outward appearance of a canine plugugly.
Murder seemed the mildest of the desires that
lay behind that rugged countenance. As a matter of
fact, what he wanted was cake. His name was Smith,
and Mr. Mortimer had bought him just before leaving
London to serve the establishment as a watch-dog.
“He won’t hurt you,” said Mr. Mortimer carelessly.
“You keep saying that!” replied Mr. Bennett pettishly.
“How do you know? He’s a dangerous beast, and if I
had had any notion that you were buying him, I would
have had something to say about it!”