"It will have to be a great deal funnier than that before it's funny,"
said George.
This represented the general opinion, though Edna, who has a good
heart, professed to find it diverting already. Unfortunately she has
no sense of humour.
Jerry, the writer, claimed exemption on the ground of being the
writer, though he did not see why his article should not remove
gravity (as they say in _The Wallet of Kai Lung_) from other people
quite as effectually as the silly tosh of A. and B. and C., naming
some brilliant and successful humorists.
The company then resolved itself into a Voluntary Aid Detachment.
When they met again at tea Edna made the suggestion of a sprinkling of
puns.
"We've got rather beyond that, I think," said the victim with dignity.
"I'm not so sure," said George cruelly, "that you can afford to
neglect any means. Some people laugh at them even now, in this
twentieth century, in this beautiful England of ours."
"And I can tell you why," broke in Raymond eagerly. He took from his
pocket a well-known Manual of Psychology and whirled over the pages.
"Meanwhile," said George learnedly, "BERGSON may be of some assistance
to you. He knows all about laughter. He analysed it."
"Why couldn't he leave it alone?" said Allegra uneasily.
"He defines laughter," said George, "as 'a kind of social gesture.'"
"It isn't," said Allegra rashly. "At least," she added, "that sort of
thing isn't going to help Jerry. Do give it up."
"Well, then, here's something more practical," said George. "Listen.
'A situation is always comical when it belongs at one and the same
time to two series of absolutely independent events, and can at the
same time be interpreted in two different ways.'"
"I should think," said Edna brightly, "that might be very amusing."
She remarked later that it made it all seem very clear, but even she
showed signs of relief when Raymond interrupted, having found his
place.
"Here we are!" he exclaimed. "The book says that the reason a pun
amuses you----"
"It doesn't amuse me," said most of the company.
"But it does--it must amuse you. It's all down here in black and
white. Listen. The reason a pun amuses you is as follows: 'It impels
the mind to identify objects quite disconnected. This obstructs the
flow of thought; but this is too transient to give rise to pain, and
the relief which comes with insight into the true state of the case
may be a source of keen pleasure. Mental activity suddenly obstructed
and so heightened is at once set free, and is so much greater than the
occasion demands that----'"
"And is that why we laugh at things?" said Allegra sadly.
The heavy silence which followed was broken by the voice of Mrs.
Purkis, the charlady, who "comes in to oblige," and was now taking
a short cut to the front gate, under Cook's escort, by way of the
parsley bed. This brought her within earshot of the party, who were
taking tea on the lawn.
When Mrs. Purkis could contain her mirth so as to make herself
understood, her words were these: "I dunno why, but when I see
'im stand like that, staring like a stuck pig, I thought I'd died
a-larf'n. I dunno why, but it made me _larf_----"
She passed, like _Pippa_.
"Listen to her," said Allegra in bitter envy. "_She doesn't know
why._"
And Allegra burst into tears.
* * * * *
[Illustration: _The Fisherman._ "I SUPPOSE THIS RAIN WILL DO A LOT OF
GOOD, PAT?"
_Pat._ "YE MAY WELL SAY THAT, SORR. AN HOUR OF UT NOW WILL DO MORE
GOOD IN FIVE MINUTES THAN A MONTH OF UT WOULD DO IN A WEEK AT ANNY
OTHER TIME."]
* * * * *
What's in a Name?
"'A Recital' will be given by Miss H. E. Stutter (the well-known
Elocutionist)."
_Local Paper._
* * * * *