So they went to the ex-nursery and found Emily and Robin playing with Robin’s train and Crispin, oblivious of the noise, deep in his book. It was all about the play of Macbeth and the various productions through the past four centuries. There was a chapter on the superstitions.

‘You’re not going on with this play, are you?’ asked Crispin.

‘No,’ said his father. ‘It’s tempting, but I don’t think we are.’

‘Why, tempting?’

‘I think Gaston would be exciting as Macbeth.’

‘Yes?’

‘But terribly risky.’

‘Ah.’

The telephone rang.

‘I’ll answer it, Mummy. May I?’ asked Robin.

‘If you’re polite.’

‘Of course.’ He ran out of the room, leaving the door open. They all waited to hear what he would say.

‘Hello?’ said the treble voice. ‘This is Mr Peregrine Jay’s house…Yes…If you don’t mind waiting for a moment, I’ll find out if he can speak to you. Hold on, please. Thank you.’

He reappeared. ‘It’s Mr Gaston Sears, Pop,’ he said. ‘And he sounds very sonky-polly-lobby.’

‘I’ll speak to him,’ said Peregrine and went out to the telephone, shutting the door behind him.

Crispin said: ‘I dare say, William, you are wondering what “sonky-polly-lobby” means. It’s a family word and it means – “Happy with yourself and a bit self-conscious, with it.”’

‘Oh.’

The little boys returned to their train. Emily and Crispin waited. When he came back Peregrine looked disturbed.

‘Gaston,’ he said, ‘has the same idea as we have. He thinks that if we did decide to go on with Macbeth he would be good in the name part, but would have to decline out of feelings of delicacy. He said it would be an error of taste if he accepted. He said he knew we all thought him a heartless kind of fellow but he was not. He felt we should be told at once of this decision.’

‘He – oh dear! He took it as a matter of course he would be cast?’

‘Yes. And he was perfectly right. He would have been.’

‘What did you say?’

‘That we have for many reasons almost decided against it but that, had the many reasons not existed, I agreed. I thought he would have been good. So did the Management. With reservations that I didn’t mention.’

‘And he took it?’

‘He said “So be it” in a grand voice and hung up. Poor old boy. He would be good, I do believe, but an awful nuisance nevertheless.’

‘I’m sure you’re right, Perry.’

‘Hoo, hoo,’ shouted William. ‘Clear the line. The midnight express is coming straight through.’

Emily looked at him and then at Peregrine who gave her a thumbs-up signal. ‘Very much so,’ he said.

‘Really? That’s quite something.’

‘All aboard. All aboard,’ said Robin. ‘All seats, please.’