So, I have no way of knowing whether this really happened; it didn't happen to me and if it did happen, it was in 1911 or so. I've been going through some old letters my great-great(-great?) uncle received between 1908, when he left Oxford, and his death in 1919 (dude survived WW1 and died when he fell downstairs drunk.) Anyway. This is from one of those letters, from a friend I'll call Fitz. A FWB of my uncle's and a number of other guys besides. Names have been changed because my family would shoot me if they found out.
Dear Oscar,
[yada yada yada, hunting in Scotland, yada yada, visiting friends at their big-ass country home in England somewhere...]
Now I think I mentioned in my last note that there is here a very nice boy named Hawkins. His brother was at Ox. in our year or the one ahead, but I for one don't remember him. You might - he rowed, I think, or was it football? I wasn't paying close attention. More your sort than mine, certainly. Hawkins Minor is about 20, a fine-looking fellow, not to tall, broad through the chest and narrow in the shanks, fair-haired, brown eyes. I'd go on to say face like a Greek statue but you wouldn't believe me and in any case his nose was broken in a bout at school. He has a boxer's eyebrows, too, but a sweet-natured chap all the same, none too bright. Moneyed, of course; I don't think my hosts care to acknowledge anyone with less than a small baronetcy behind them.
But this Hawkins. I had dismissed him as a poor prospect and set my sights on that footman, but last night as I was undressing Hawkins came and knocked at my door. At dinner he had mentioned an acquaintance with our Mr Guest, but I didn't think much of it - everyone knows Guest. And it's true that not all of us who know Guest have known Guest, if you take my meaning. Now Hawkins stood at my door in trousers and a pyjama jacket. I asked him what I could do for him. He said that he believed a rat was in his room and as he had a horror of rats, would I help him remove it?