We bow to Miss Montmorency hopefully.
“Er--jolly day it’s been, hasn’t it?”
No, really, we can’t say anything about the weather. We must be original.
“Er--have you been to any theatres lately?”
No, no, everybody says that. Well, then, what can we say? Let us try again.
“How do you do. Er--I see by the paper this evening that the Bolsheviks have captured Omsk.”
“Captured Whatsk?”
“Omsk.” Or was it Tomsk? Fortunately it does not matter, for Miss Montmorency is not the least interested.
“Oh!” she says.
I hate people who say “Oh!” It means that you have to begin all over again.