I submitted readily. After a brief scrutiny my lady announced that she could see the sting. Her fingers dealt very gently with the injured lobe, and by dint of looking out of the far corners of my eyes, I just managed to command a prospect of one grey eye and half the red mouth. Her lips were parted and she was smiling a little.
"If I didn't love your mouth when you smile, I should be inclined to suggest that it was nothing to laugh about," I said reprovingly.
The grey eye met mine. Then she laid a small cool hand firmly on my chin and pushed it round and away.
"Otherwise I can't see properly," she explained. Then, "I believe I can dig it out," she said quietly.
I broke away at that and looked round. She was quite serious and began to unfasten a gold safety-pin.
"Look here," I said hurriedly. "You're awfully kind; but, you know, as it is in, don't you think perhaps it had better stay in? I mean, after all, a sting in the ear—"
She just waved my head round and began.
"Police," I said feebly. "Assault and wounding stalk in your midst. Police."
She really got it out very well...
"And so you live here?" she said, after a while.