“I noticed such a strong likeness I imagined there must be some relationship.”
“A strong likeness,” cried Vestasian in a voice as hard and cold as his face had suddenly grown, and he gazed over at me probably to discover the resemblance.
“You need not think the distaste is all one-sided,” I observed. “You are the last person in the universe I have the least ambition to be like.”
“Then it gives me the greatest pleasure in the universe to believe in the resemblance. Why do you object to me? But rather let us change the conversation, it is personal and therefore unpleasant. Do you deal much in cocaine, Philemon?”
“No, I have no such thing in my laboratory.”
“Come, come, I have known you administer a dose.”
“Indeed not. I never give any strong medicine in more than one dose—and the effect is lasting. The effects of cocaine, as you know, pass away.”
Vestasian smiled.
“Yes. All too truly. But do you really mean to say you never give more than one dose of a strong medicine? Surely the effects cannot last for ever.”
“They last a pretty sure length anyway. That’s the difference, you know, between the real thing and a sham.”