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Book, page 201 / 298 of quiet pathos. "To-night I shall be among the shades. There be not you, my brothers." ZULEIKA DOBSON 241 Good though the sermon was in style and senti- ment, the flaw in its reasoning was too patent for any converts to be made. As he walked out of the quadrangle, the Duke felt the hopelessness of his cause. Still he battled bravely for it up the High, waylaying, cajoling, commanding, offering vast bribes. He carried his crusade into the Loder, and thence into Vincent's, and out into the street again, eager, untiring, unavailing: every- where he found his precept checkmated by his example. The sight of The MacQuern coming out top- speed from the Market, with a large but inex- pensive bunch of flowers, reminded him of the luncheon that was to be. Never to throw over an engagement was for him, as we have seen, a point of honour. But this particular engagement -- hateful, when he accepted it, by reason of his love -- was now impossible for the reason which had made him take so ignominiously to his heels this morning. He curtly told the Scot not to expect him. "Is <i>she</i> not coming?" gasped the Scot, with quick suspicion. "Oh," said the Duke, turning on his heel, "she doesn't know that I shan't be there. You may count on her." This he took to be the very truth, and he was glad to have made of it a thrust at the man who had so uncouthly asserted himself last night. He could not help smiling, 242 ZULEIKA DOBSON
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