"Part of it, sir."
He explained the circumstances.
The Colonel coughed, and said:
"Have a whisky-and-soda before you go?"
George reflected for an instant. The Colonel seemingly
had a core of decency, but George said in his heart: "I've not done with you yet, my fat friend." And aloud, grimly.
"Thank you very much, sir. But I shall ask you to excuse me."
Both the Colonel and the Adjutant were pardonably shaken by this unparalleled response.
The Colonel barked:
"Why? Teetotaller?"