apparently nothing but a desert island in an ocean of joy。
George； waking next morning with a heavy heart； made this discovery before the day was an hour old。 The sun was shining； and birds sang merrily； but this did not disturb him。 Nature is ever callous to human woes； laughing while we weep； and we grow to take her callousness for granted。 What jarred upon George was the infernal cheerfulness of his fellow men。 They seemed to be doing it on purposetriumphing over himglorying in the fact； that； however Fate might have shattered him； they were all right。
People were happy who had never been happy before。 Mrs。 Platt； for instance。 A grey； depressed woman of middle age； she had seemed hitherto to have few pleasures beyond breaking dishes and relating the symptoms of sick neighbours who were not expected to live through the week。 She now sang。 George could hear her as she prepared his breakfast in the kitchen。 At first he had had a hope that she was moaning with pain； but this was dispelled when he had finished his toilet and proceeded downstairs。 The sounds she emitted suggested anguish； but the words； when he was able to distinguish them； told another story。 Incredible as it might seem； on this particular morning Mrs。 Platt had elected to be light…hearted。 What she was singing sounded like a dirge； but actually it was 〃Stop your tickling； Jock！〃 And。 later； when she brought George his coffee and eggs； she spent a full ten minutes prattling as he tried to read his paper； pointing out to him a number of merry murders and sprightly suicides which otherwise he might have missed。 The woman went out of her way to show him that for her； if not for less fortunate people； God this morning was in His heaven and all was right in the world。
Two tramps of supernatural exuberance called at the cottage shortly after breakfast to ask George； whom they had never even consulted about their marriages； to help support their wives and children。 Nothing could have been more care…free and debonnaire than the demeanour of these men。
And then Reggie Byng arrived in his grey racing car； more cheerful than any of them。
Fate could not have mocked George more subtly。 A sorrow's crown of sorrow is remembering happier things； and the sight of Reggie in that room reminded him that on the last occasion when they had talked together across this same table it was he who had been in a Fool's Paradise and Reggie who had borne a weight of care。 Reggie this morning was brighter than the shining sun and gayer than the carolling birds。
〃Hullo…ullo…ullo…ullo…ullo…ullo…ul…Lo！ Topping morning； isn't it！〃 observed Reggie。 〃The sunshine！ The birds！ The absolute what…do…you…call…it of everything and so forth； and all that sort of thing； if you know what I mean！ I feel like a two…year…old！〃
George； who felt older than this by some ninety…eight years； groaned in spirit。 This was more than man was meant to bear。
〃I say；〃 continued Reggie； absently reaching out for a slice of bread and smearing it with marmalade； 〃this business of marriage； now； and all that species of rot！ What I mean to say is； what about it？ Not a bad scheme； taking it big and large？ Or don't you think so？〃
George writhed。 The knife twisted in the wound。 Surely it was bad enough to see a happy man eating bread and marmalade without having to listen to him talking about marriage。
〃Well； anyhow； be that as it may；〃 said Reggie； biting jovially and speaking in a thick but joyous voice。 〃I'm getting married today； and chance it。 This morning； this very morning； I leap off the dock！〃
George was startled out of his despondency。
〃What！〃
〃Absolutely； laddie！〃
George remembered the conventions。
〃I congratulate you。〃
〃Thanks； old man。 And not without reason。 I'm the luckiest fellow alive。 I hardly knew I was alive till now。〃
〃Isn't this rather sudden？〃
Reggie looked a trifle furtive。 His manner became that of a conspirator。
〃I should jolly well say it is sudden！ It's got to be sudden。 Dashed sudden and deuced secret！ If the mater were to hear of it； there's no doubt whatever she would form a flying wedge and bust up the proceedings with no uncertain voice。 You see； laddie； it's Miss Faraday I'm marrying； and the materdear old soulhas other ideas for Reginald。 Life's a rummy thing； isn't it！ What I mean to say is； it's rummy； don't you know； and all that。〃
〃Very；〃 agreed George。
〃Who'd have thought； a week ago； that I'd be sitting in this jolly old chair asking you to be my best man？ Why； a week ago I didn't know you； and； if anybody had told me Alice Faraday was going to marry me； I'd have given one of those hollow； mirthless laughs。〃
〃Do you want me to be your best man？〃
〃Absolutely； if you don't mind。 You see；〃 said Reggie confidentially； 〃it's like this。 I've got lots of pals； of course； buzzing about all over London and its outskirts； who'd be glad enough to rally round and join the execution…squad； but you know how it is。 Their maters are all pals of my mater； and I don't want to get them into trouble for aiding and abetting my little show； if you understand what I mean。 Now； you're different。 You don't know the mater； so it doesn't matter to you if she rolls around and puts the Curse of the Byngs on you； and all that sort of thing。 Besides； I don't know。〃 Reggie mused。 〃Of course； this is the happiest day of my life；〃 he proceeded； 〃and I'm not saying it isn't； but you know how it isthere's absolutely no doubt that a chappie does not show at his best when he's being married。 What I mean to say is； he's more or less bound to look a fearful ass。 And I'm perfectly certain it would put me right off my stroke if I felt that some chump like Jack Ferris or Ronnie Fitzgerald was trying not to giggle in the background。 So； if you will be a sportsman and e and hold my hand till the thing's over； I shall be eternally grateful。〃
〃Where are you going to be married？〃
〃In London。 Alice sneaked off there last night。 It was easy； as it happened； because by a bit of luck old Marshmoreton had gone to town yesterday morningnobody knows why： he doesn't go up to London more than a couple of times a year。 She's going to meet me at the Savoy； and then the scheme was to toddle round to the nearest registrar and request the lad to unleash the marriage service。 I'm whizzing up in the car； and I'm hoping to be able to persuade you to e with me。 Say the word； laddie！〃
George reflected。 He liked Reggie； and there was no particular reason in the world why he should not give him aid and fort in this crisis。 True； in his present frame of mind； it would be torture to witness a wedding ceremony； but he ought not to let that stand in the way of helping a friend。
〃All right；〃 he said。
〃Stout fellow！ I don't know how to thank you。 It isn't putting you out or upsetting your plans； I hope； or anything on those lines？〃
〃Not at all。 I had to go up to London today； anyway。〃
〃Well； you can't get there quicker than in my car。 She's a hummer。 By the way； I forgot to ask。 How is your little affair ing along？ Everything going all right？〃
〃In a way；〃 said George。 He was not equal to confiding his troubles to Reggie。
〃Of course； your trouble isn't like mine was。 What I mean is； Maud loves you； and all that； and all you've got to think out is a scheme for laying the jolly old family a stymie。 It's a pityalmostthat yours isn't a case of having to win the girl； like me； because by Jove； laddie；〃 said Reggie with solemn emphasis； 〃I could help you there。 I've got the thing down fine。 I've got the infallible dope。〃
George smiled bleakly。
〃You have？ You're a useful fellow to have around。 I wish you would tell me what it is。〃
〃But you don't need it。〃
〃No； of course not。 I was forgetting。〃
Reggie looked at his watch。
〃We ought to be shifting in a quarter of an hour or so。 I don't want to be late。 It appears that there's a catch of some sort in this business of getting married。 As far as I can make out； if you roll in after a certain hour； the Johnnie in charge of the proceedings gives you the miss…in…baulk； and you have to turn up again next day。 However； we shall be all right unless we have a breakdown； and there's not much chance of that。 I've been tunin