6
They entered the dining-room.
“You needn’t remain,” said Luke to the waiter. “We’ll help ourselves.”
“Ver’ good,” said the waiter. “I understand. I am since three years of experience in the week-end business. I come when you ring—not before.”
Luke and Jona talked together earnestly for an hour. Then they remembered they had been intending to dine. Luke removed the cover from the dish and looked at two large melancholy chops, frozen hard.
“Can we?” said Luke.
“Not in this life,” said Jona. “Get it removed.”
Luke produced a visiting-card, and wrote on the back of it: “A Present for a Good Dog. From Jona and Lukie!” He put the card in the dish and replaced the cover. Then he investigated the wine list, rang the bell, and ordered champagne and dry biscuits to be put in the drawing-room.
(The reader is requested to look out. Once more the numbers of the section will be used as a part of the sections. The price of paper is still very high.)
“Just imagine,” said Luke. “Only this morning I was convinced that life was hell. Absolute hell.”
“And now?” asked Jona, shyly.
“Now I know that it’s