"Ha—labellum somewhat pinker purple than normal," he proceeded. "H'm! Unusually fresh specimen."
I looked appealingly at Billings. "Oh, I say, you know!" I exclaimed in dismay.
Billings had been standing with his mouth agape, but now he made a stride forward and touched the professor on the arm.
"That's Mr. Lightnut, Professor," he said blandly. "That's not the specimen. H'm! Slight mistake."
Slowly the professor's big head turned on its axis and his little eyes blinked at Billings nastily.
"I was referring to the orchid in the gentleman's coat," he observed quietly, and turned back to me.
"Of course! Of course!" stammered Billings with eagerness. "My mistake—one on me. Stung!" his lips pantomimed to me.
I addressed the professor hospitably: "Ah! won't you sit down, Professor?"
He drew back, frowning. "Sit down, sir?" he questioned. And, by Jove, by this time he showed his teeth. And devilish white, even teeth they were, too, only they didn't fit.
"I never sit down, sir," he said stiffly; "never!"