Berry shrugged his shoulders.
"My dear," he said, "he's a blinkin' marvel. Where you and I 'ld be standing outside a stage-door with a nervous grin and a bag of jujubes, he'd walk straight up TO a Marchioness, say, 'I feel I must tell you that you've got a mouth in a million,' and—get away with it. But there you are. In the present case——"
"—for once in a way," said Adèle, "the lady seems to have made the running." She turned to me with a smile. "Well, Juan me lad, tell us some more about her. Was she fair or dark?"
I nodded at Berry.
"Better ask him," I said. "He knows more about it than I do."
"She was dark," said Berry unhesitatingly. "A tall willowy wench, with
Continental eyes and an everlasting pout. Am I right, sir?"
"You may be," said I. "Not having seen the damsel…."
There was an outburst of incredulous objection.
"Sorry," I added, "but the liaison was conducted upon the telephone. Just now. When I ordered the paper. The lady had no idea she was giving me counsel. So, you see, we're both blameless. And now may I have a match?"
"Well, I am disappointed," announced Adèle. "I quite thought we were off."