I answered that it was very good, and that I had nothing to complain of in that respect.
'You have nothing to complain of in that respect,' he said, glancing from me to Turk and from Turk to me, and appearing to be seeking for some solution of the circumstance that we were in company together. When he was in any doubt, he had an irritating habit of repeating the last words spoken by the person he was conversing with, which gave him time to think of his own words in reply. 'That must be very satisfactory. I hear good accounts of you. You will get on, I should say, if you are steady and straightforward, and if you keep a good name. That is everything in this world. A good name--a good name. But what brings you out to-night? Have you business in this quarter too?'
'No,' I said; 'I did not come out for business.'
'You did not come out for business. For pleasure, then. Well, young men will be young men.'
'To tell you the truth, sir,' I said----
'That's right, always tell the truth,' he interrupted, speaking from a height, slowly, and coolly, and patronisingly, as though he were truth's conservator, and was glad to hear that it was being practised. 'Yes, to tell me the truth----'
'I came out partly for the purpose and in the hope of seeing you.'
With his hand playing with his moustache, he looked not at me, but at Turk, for an explanation. Turk, however, had nothing to say.
'You came out for the purpose and in the hope of seeing me. Yes. Have you brought me any message?'
'Did you expect one, sir?' I asked quickly.