"I invited Taylor to Kettner's (A famous Italian restaurant in Soho: it had several "private rooms.") on the occasion of my birthday, and told him to bring what friends he liked. He brought Parker and his brother."
"Did you know Parker was a gentleman's servant out of work, and his brother a groom?"
"No; I did not."
"But you did know that Parker was not a literary character or an artist, and that culture was not his strong point?"
"I did."
"What was there in common between you and Charlie Parker?"
"I like people who are young, bright, happy, careless and original. I do not like them sensible, and I do not like them old; I don't like social distinctions of any kind, and the mere fact of youth is so wonderful to me that I would sooner talk to a young man for half an hour than be cross examined by an elderly Q.C."
Everyone smiled at this retort.
"Had you chambers in St. James's Place?"
"Yes, from October, '93, to April, '94."