It was in this way that Dr. O’Grady showed the true greatness of his mind. A weaker man, daunted by the difficulty of arranging “God Save the King” in such a way as to suit all tastes, might have given up the attempt to provide a musical welcome for the Lord-Lieutenant. A man of narrow obstinacy, the kind of man who is really like a pig, would have persevered, in spite of Constable Moriarty’s warning, in trying to teach his variations to the town band. Dr. O’Grady, knowing that the main thing was the success of his general scheme, turned from a tune which presented insuperable difficulties, and fixed upon another, which would, he hoped, be comparatively easy to manage. The Major ought to have admired him; but did not He was in a condition of extreme nervous exasperation which rendered him unfit to admire anything.
“You’ll get us all into an infernal mess with your foolery,” he said sulkily, “and when you do, you needn’t come to me to help you out.”
“I won’t. But don’t forget the committee meeting to-morrow morning. Half past eleven, in Doyle’s Hotel.”
“Strictly speaking,” said Dr. O’Grady, “it’s two committees—the Statue Erection Committee and the Lord-Lieutenant Reception Committee—but the same people are on both, so we may as well make one meeting do.”
“I’ll go,” said the Major, “in the hope, utterly vain of course, of keeping you from further excesses.”
“Good,” said Dr. O’Grady. “And now I must hurry off. I’ve a lot to do between this and then.”
Major Kent was a kind-hearted man. He had suffered intensely during the earlier part of the day and for some hours had been seriously angry with Dr. O’Grady. But his sense of hospitality was stronger than his resentment.
“Stop for half an hour,” he said, “and have something to eat Now that you’ve given up punishing my poor old piano we might have lunch in peace.”
“Can’t possibly waste time in eating. I’ve far too much to do. To tell you the truth, Major, I don’t expect to sit down to a square meal until I join the Lord-Lieutenant’s luncheon party. Till then I must snatch a crust as I can while running from one thing to another.”
Dr. O’Grady mounted his bicycle and hurried off. He reached the Greggs’ house at twenty minutes past three, Mary Ellen was standing on the step outside the door, smiling in a good-humoured way. Mrs. Gregg, who looked hot and puzzled, was just inside the door.