Father and son smiled warily at one another. Both were amused and even affectionate, but serious in the battle.
"Come along, dad. Be a sport. Anyhow, let's ask the girl."
"Do you know what my answer to blackmail is?" Mr. Prohack blandly enquired.
"No."
"My answer is the door. Drop the subject entirely. Or sling your adventurous book."
Mr. Prohack was somewhat startled to see Charlie walk straight out of the bedroom. A disturbing suspicion that there might be something incalculable in his son was rudely confirmed.
He said to himself: "But this is absurd."
III
That morning the Prohack bedroom seemed to be transformed into a sort of public square. No sooner had Charlie so startlingly left than Machin entered again.
"Dr. Veiga, sir."