By common consent New College was ruled out of our itinerary, but Oxford
cannot be viewed in a day, and we found much to delight our senses south
of the High Street. Finally, a languorous journey by punt from the
Barges to Magdalen Bridge more than compensated us for the somnolent
half-hour which we had been proposing to spend under the shadow of the
City Wall.
Our return to _The Mitre_--a movement which was effected with great
caution--was eagerly awaited by the hall-porter, who inquired anxiously
regarding my brother-in-law, and produced his grey Homburg with a note
addressed _To the Owner_ stuck in the hatband.
"The gentleman as was of your party, sir, was inquirin' about 'is 'at an
hour or two back, sir. 'E 'adn't 'ardly gone, when a reverend gent come
in, all of a state, with this 'at in 'is 'and. Seems he took it away
absent-minded like, instead of 'is own, sir. Though 'ow 'e can 'ave made
such a mistake I can't think, 'is bein' a Church 'at as plain as plain.
But they're like that up 'ere, sir, some o' them."
We stared at one another, frankly astonished to learn that Berry's
fantastic explanation was founded strictly upon fact.
"Did the clergyman get his own back?" said I.
"Yes, sir.
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