"Oh, Monsieur, c'est trop gentil. J'ai été heureux——"
"Pas un mot, Herbert. Believe me, it's cheap at the price. What's more, je suis enchanté d'avoir fait votre connaissance."
"A votre service, Monsieur."
"Itch Deen," said Berry. "Itch Deen. And if ever one of your bullocks bursts and you have to put in a new one, I only trust I shall be out of earshot. Au revoir, mon ami. Ne faites-pas attention au monsieur avec le nez rouge dans l'auto. Il est grise."
The reverent look with which Herbert favoured me, as he returned to his oxen, I shall never forget. Clearly, to be in the arms of Dionysus by eleven o'clock in the morning was arguing at once an affluence and a discretion which were almost sacred.
"Ah," said Berry, making his appearance, "you're awake, are you? I've just finished. Herbert's been watching me. Have you got the beer-opener there? It's—it's tiring work."
"What is?" said I grimly. "Instructing?"
"That's it," said my brother-in-law. "I explained as I went along. Herbert was most interested. A little dense, you know, but such a nice fellow. He thinks the world of you. Now, I think the beer-opener's in the left-hand——"
"In you get," said I, starting the engine. "Philanthropy and beer don't go together."
With his foot upon the step, Berry regarded me.