‘How the dev—I mean, how do you know that?’
‘By a simple deductive process,’ said Merton. ‘There were also letters,’ he said. Here a gurgle from behind the screen was audible to Merton.
‘We did not read each others’ letters,’ said Clancy, blushing.
‘Of course not,’ said Merton.
‘But the handwriting on the envelopes was identical,’ Clancy went on.
‘Well, and what can our Society do for you?’
‘Why, we saw your advertisements, never guessed they were yours, of course, Pussy, and—none of us is a man of the world—’
‘I congratulate you,’ said Merton.
‘So we thought we had better take advice: it seemed rather a lark, too, don’t you know? The fact is—you appear to have divined it somehow—we find that we are all engaged to the same lady. We can’t fight, and we can’t all marry her.’
‘In Thibet it might be practicable: martyrdom might also be secured there,’ said Merton.