Directly Mr. Trafford had reached the front door it had opened for him,
and closed behind him at once. He had found himself with Mrs. Pope. "You
wish to see my husband?" she had said, and had led him to the study
forthwith. She had returned at once to intercept Mr. Magnet....
Trafford found Mr. Pope seated sternly at the centre of the writing
desk, regarding him with a threatening brow.
"Well, sir," said Mr. Pope breaking the silence, "you have come to offer
some explanation----"
While awaiting this encounter Mr. Pope had not been insensitive to the
tactical and scenic possibilities of the occasion. In fact, he had spent
the latter half of the morning in intermittent preparations, arranging
desks, books, hassocks in advantageous positions, and not even
neglecting such small details as the stamp tray, the articles of
interest from Jerusalem, and the rock-crystal cenotaph, which he had
exhibited in such a manner as was most calculated to damp, chill and
subjugate an antagonist in the exposed area towards the window. He had
also arranged the chairs in a highly favourable pattern.
Mr. Trafford was greatly taken aback by Mr. Pope's juridical manner and
by this form of address, and he was further put out by Mr. Pope saying
with a regal gesture to the best illuminated and most isolated chair:
"Be seated, sir."
Mr. Trafford's exordium vanished from his mind, he was at a loss for
words until spurred to speech by Mr. Pope's almost truculent: "Well?"
"I am in love sir, with your daughter."
"I am not aware of it," said Mr. Pope, and lifted and dropped the
paper-weight. "My daughter, sir, is engaged to marry Mr. Magnet. If you
had approached me in a proper fashion before presuming to attempt--to
attempt----" His voice thickened with indignation,--"Liberties with her,
you would have been duly informed of her position--and everyone would
have been saved"--he lifted the paper-weight. "Everything that has
happened." (Bump.)
Mr. Trafford had to adjust himself to the unexpected elements in this
encounter. "Oh!" he said.
"Yes," said Mr. Pope, and there was a distinct interval.
"Is your daughter in love with Mr. Magnet?" asked Mr. Trafford in an
almost colloquial tone.