’I’m not sure that I do believe it, but I enjoy the experiment.  The chief pleasure, I suppose, is in fighting Runcorn and Kenyon.’

’They are too strong for you, Earwaker.  They have the spirit of the age to back them up.’

The journalist became silent; he smiled, but the harassment of conflict marked his features.

‘I hear nothing about “The New Sophistry",’ he remarked, when Godwin had begun to examine some books that lay on the table.  ’Dolby has the trick of keeping manuscripts a long time.  Everything that seems at the first glance tolerable, he sends to the printer, then muses over it at his leisure.  Probably your paper is in type.’

’I don’t care a rap whether it is or not.  What do you think of this book of Oldwinkle’s?’

He was holding a volume of humorous stories, which had greatly taken the fancy of the public.

‘It’s uncommonly good,’ replied the journalist, laughing.  ’I had a prejudice against the fellow, but he has overcome me.  It’s more than good farce—­something like really strong humour here and there.’

‘I quite believe it,’ said Peak, ’yet I couldn’t read a page.  Whatever the mob enjoys is at once spoilt for me, however good I should otherwise think it.  I am sick of seeing and hearing the man’s name.’

Earwaker shook his head in deprecation.

‘Narrow, my boy.  One must be able to judge and enjoy impartially.’

’I know it, but I shall never improve.  This book seems to me to have a bad smell; it looks mauled with dirty fingers.  I despise Oldwinkle for his popularity.  To make them laugh, and to laugh with them—­ pah!’

They debated this point for some time, Peak growing more violent, though his friend preserved a smiling equanimity.  A tirade of virulent contempt, in which Godwin exhibited all his powers of savage eloquence, was broken by a visitor’s summons at the door.

‘Here’s Malkin,’ said the journalist; ’you’ll see each other at last.’

Peak could not at once command himself to the look and tone desirable in meeting a stranger; leaning against the mantelpiece, he gazed with a scowl of curiosity at the man who presented himself, and when he shook hands, it was in silence.  But Malkin made speech from the others unnecessary for several minutes.  With animated voice and gesture, he poured forth apologies for his failure to keep the appointment of six or seven weeks ago.

’Only the gravest call of duty could have kept me away, I do assure you!  No doubt Earwaker has informed you of the circumstances.  I telegraphed—­I think I telegraphed; didn’t I, Earwaker?’

‘I have some recollection of a word or two of scant excuse,’ replied the journalist.

‘But I implore you to consider the haste I was in,’ cried Malkin; ’not five minutes, Mr. Peak, to book, to register luggage, to do everything; not five minutes, I protest!  But here we are at last.  Let us talk!  Let us talk!’