“I say, old chap,” he said, after a pause, “why didn’t you tell me? I didn’t even know that you knew her. Are you engaged to her, then?”
“Engaged! no.”
“Well, then, have you an understanding with her?”
“No, of course not.”
“Look here, old fellow, if you would just slew round a bit and tell me how the matter stands, we might get on a little.”
“It doesn’t stand at all, but—I worship the ground she treads on; there!”
“Ah!” said Ernest, “that’s awkward, for so do I—at least I think I do.”
Jeremy groaned, and Ernest groaned too, by way of company.
“Look here, old chap,” said the latter, “what is to be done? You should have told me, but you didn’t, you see. If you had, I would have kept clear. Fact is, she bowled me over altogether, bowled me clean.”
“So she did me.”