In your browser JavaScript is disabled!
After a few more remarks about Philip Lambert, Harry Chester suddenly sat up.
"Here's Philip now."
Following Chester's look, Stephen saw a slim man of about thirty entering the restaurant.
When he came over, he began taking off a lemon-yellow glove, meanwhile looking at Chester with amusement.
"Thank you for keeping my table, dear boy. But now you must be off. I'm expecting a guest at two o'clock."
"We're just going, Philip," Chester said in reply. "Look here, I'd like you to meet Desmonde [´dezmqnd]. He joined us at Dupret's [dV´preIz] today."
Lambert took a look at Stephen, then he bowed politely as if appreciating the young man's tactful silence.
"Stephen Desmonde only came down from Oxford last term," Chester added quickly.
"Indeed!" exclaimed Lambert.
Holding out a small hand to Stephen, he said, "I am happy to meet you. I myself was at the House. You needn't hurry. I can easily find another table."
"No, no," said Stephen, rising, "we've quite finished."
"Well, then" said Lambert, "come to tea at my house one of these days. We are at home most Wednesdays at five. Harry will bring you along. Then we'll be two men from Oxford and one" - with a smile towards Chester - "who so nearly went to Cambridge."
The bill, quickly produced by Madame Chobert, now lay on the table. Since Chester did not seem to see it, Stephen picked it up and, in spite of Harry's sudden and energetic protests, paid.