The clock on the mantel-piece ticked for

207



The Club of Queer Trades

just the moments required for Basil to clear
his throat and collect his words, and then
he said:

" My proposal is this. I do not know that
in the strict use of words you could alto-
gether call it a compromise. Still, it has
something of that character. My proposal
is that the government (acting, as I pre-
simie, through your museum) should pay
Professor Chadd £800 a year tmtil he stops
dancing."

"Eight hundred a year,*' said Mr. Bing-
ham, and for the first time lifted his mild
blue eyes to those of his interlocutor — ^and
he raised them with a mild blue stare. "I
think I have not quite understood you. Did
I understand you to say that Professor Chadd
ought to be employed, in his present state, in
the Asiatic manuscript department at eight
htmdred a year?"

Grant shook his head resolutely.
"No," he said, firmly. "No. Chadd is
a friend of mine, and I would say anything
for him I could. But I do not say, I cannot
say, that he ought to take on the Asiatic

208



Conduct of Professor Chadd

manuscripts. I do not go so far as that. I
merely say that until he stops dancing you
ought to pay him £800. Surely you have
some general ftmd for the endowment of
research."

Mr. Bingham looked bewildered.
