His remarks had the effect of floating off from some busy mill of thought within him.  Hitherto Mr. Direck had been inclined to think this silent observant youth, with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders a little humped, as probably shy and adolescently ineffective.  But the head was manifestly quite busy....

“Miss Corner,” he began, taking the first thing that came into his head, and then he remembered that he had already made the remark he was going to make not five minutes ago.

“What form of art,” he asked, “are you contemplating in your studies at the present time in London?"....

Before this question could be dealt with at all adequately, the two small boys became active in the garden beating in everybody to “dress-up” before supper.  The secretary, Teddy, came in a fatherly way to look after Mr. Direck and see to his draperies.

Section 9

Mr. Direck gave his very best attention to this business of draping himself, for he had not the slightest intention of appearing ridiculous in the eyes of Miss Corner.  Teddy came with an armful of stuff that he thought “might do.”

“What’ll I come as?” asked Mr. Direck.

“We don’t wear costumes,” said Teddy.  “We just put on all the brightest things we fancy.  If it’s any costume at all, it’s Futurist.”

“And surely why shouldn’t one?” asked Mr. Direck, greatly struck by this idea.  “Why should we always be tied by the fashions and periods of the past?”

He rejected a rather Mephistopheles-like costume of crimson and a scheme for a brigand-like ensemble based upon what was evidently an old bolero of Mrs. Britling’s, and after some reflection he accepted some black silk tights.  His legs were not legs to be ashamed of.  Over this he tried various brilliant wrappings from the Dower House armoire, and chose at last, after some hesitation in the direction of a piece of gold and purple brocade, a big square of green silk curtain stuff adorned with golden pheasants and other large and dignified ornaments; this he wore toga fashion over his light silken under-vest—­Teddy had insisted on the abandonment of his shirt “if you want to dance at all”—­and fastened with a large green glass-jewelled brooch.  From this his head and neck projected, he felt, with a tolerable dignity.  Teddy suggested a fillet of green ribbon, and this Mr. Direck tried, but after prolonged reflection before the glass rejected.  He was still weighing the effect of this fillet upon the mind of Miss Corner when Teddy left him to make his own modest preparations.  Teddy’s departure gave him a chance for profile studies by means of an arrangement of the long mirror and the table looking-glass that he had been too shy to attempt in the presence of the secretary.  The general effect was quite satisfactory.

“Wa-a-a-l,” he said with a quaver of laughter, “now who’d have thought it?” and smiled a consciously American smile at himself before going down.