'Supposing she were to say, "Mr. Baillie, you've a fine head." You know I want something she'd get a laugh with.'
'If she said the truth, she'd say a fat head,' replied Montgomery with a laugh.
'And why shouldn't she? That's the very thing. She's sure to get a laugh with that—"Mr. Baillie, you have a fat head." Let's get that down first. But what shall she say after?' And in silence they ransacked their memories for a joke which could be fitted to the one they had just discovered.
After some five minutes of deep consideration, and wearied by the unaccustomed mental strain put upon his mind, Dick said:
'Do you know the music of Trône d'Écosse? Devilish good. If the book had been better it would have been a big success.'
'The waltz is about the prettiest thing Hervé has done.'
This expression of opinion led up to an animated discussion, in which the rival claims of Hervé and Planquette were forcibly argued. Many cigarettes were smoked, and not until the packet was emptied did it occur to them that only one 'wheeze' had been found.
'I never can do anything without a cigarette; do try to find me one in the next room, Kate, dear. Listen, Montgomery, we've got "Baillie, you've a fat head." That'll do very well for a beginning; but I'm not good at finding wheezes.'
'And then I can say, "Baillie, you've a fine head,"' said Kate, who had been listening dreamily for a long time, afraid to interrupt.
'Not a bad idea,' said Dick. 'Let's get it down.'