Because of this, and also of his family connections "at home," he
had been appointed to a Civil Service position. A rather bored manner
and a supercilious air spoiled what would otherwise have been a handsome
and attractive face.
After a single remark about the "beastly bore" of military duty, Hopeton
ignored Barry, giving such attention as he had to spare from his dinner
to a man across the table, with whom, apparently, he had shared some
rather exciting social experiences in the city.
For the first half hour of the meal, the conversation was of the most
trivial nature, and was to Barry supremely uninteresting. "Shop talk"
was strictly taboo, and also all reference to the war. The thin stream
of conversation that trickled from lip to lip ran the gamut of sport,
spiced somewhat highly with society scandal which, even in that little
city, appeared to flourish.
To Barry it was as if he were in a strange land and among people of a
strange tongue. Of sport, as understood by these young chaps, he knew
little, and of scandal he was entirely innocent; so much so that many
of the references that excited the most merriment were to him utterly
obscure.
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