He lighted the candles, for it was now dark, made the tea, and supplied the friend with whom he had been playing golf (for I believe the authorities of the University I write of indulge in that pursuit by way of relaxation); and tea was taken to the accompaniment of a discussion which golfing persons can imagine for themselves, but which the conscientious writer has no right to inflict upon non-golfing persons.
...
[Next morning], during breakfast nothing was said about the mezzotint by Williams, save that he had a picture on which he wished for Nesbit's opinion. But those who are familiar with University life can picture for themselves the wide and delightful range of subjects over which the conversation of the two Fellows of Canterbury College is likely to extend during a Sunday morning breakfast. Hardly a topic was left unchallenged, from golf to lawn-tennis.
- from "The Mezzotint" by M.R. James. James taught Classics at Cambridge; Canterbury College is at Oxford.
No comments:
Post a Comment