STO'B 4

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"Oh, Phillip," said Jevons, "I'm so sorry." Boswell made similar sounds of sympathy, and after an awkward moment Jevons went on. "Richards? Didn't he just run Osprey onto the Seven Stones?"

Phillip nodded. "Yes. The scrub. But he's the secretary's brother, and there it is. How was the opera?" he asked in an attempt to change the current of his thoughts. "I suppose Angela was onstage."

"Yes," said Jevons, "she was the fourth handmaiden, or perhaps the third. I'm sorry you weren't there with us."

The three crossed the street and stepped into a tavern, and once they had sat down, Phillip continued. "I only learned this morning when I saw him being pulled out to her, with that epaulette on his shoulder."

"Learned what?" asked Jevons, whose attention had wandered some during the several minutes it took them to place and order and find a place to sit in the crowded room.

"That Richards had gotten the command. And the promotion. The damned secretary didn't even have the nerve to tell me directly, and I don't wonder at it. And then I crashed into that - into that gentleman on the sidewalk and was on the point of calling him out on it. A duel! All because of that damned villain."

"Phillip, Phillip!" cried Jevons, then he lowered his voice "this is in public. There are other people here, you know."

Phillip looked around at the crowd, then turned back to his mug. "Ah!" he growled. "No one's paying attention. Nobody cares." Nevertheless he lowered his voice before he went on. "He's the one I should call out on a duel."

"Richards?"

"The secretary! Richards, too. But whining won't help. How was the opera?"

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