“I see; this is what we may call applied cynicism. Though I should think that Dick might have more than one reason for not asking you where you have been. You never could finish the story. And by the way, do you mind telling me where we are going? You are keeping me in dread lest this pleasure should be interrupted.”
“We shall be at Mrs. Linford’s in two minutes.”
“What shall you do there?”
“I shall assist Mrs. Linford in managing a British lion.”
“A what?”
“They say he is dreadfully brutal. It will be so nice to have you to help stroke him.”
“But—”
“Oh, Mrs. Linford will be delighted. Though perhaps you had better not mention books to him. They say he simply hates other literary people. And Mrs. Linford warned me not to speak of railroads. It seems that he grows absolutely cataleptic at the mention of American railroads.”
“That is one of my favorite themes. You had better leave me outside or let me go back to the Vulcan.”