"May not a lady wear her hat in her own house?"
"Oh, I see. Then I shan't have to butter your fingers?"
"Do you compare me to a stray cat?"
"I never compare you to anything."
Desire wanted terribly to ask why, but an unaccustomed shyness prevented her. Instead she asked if Yorick were really the parrot's name.
"I don't know. But he says it is, so I take his word for it. Do you want to talk about parrots? Because it's not one of my best subjects. May I change it?"
"If you like."
"Don't say, 'If you like,' say 'Right-o.' I always do when I think of it. Since the war it is expected of one—a sign of this new fraternity, you know, between Englishmen and Colonials. Everyone over there is expected to say 'I guess' for the same reason. Only they don't do it. How do you like your workroom?"
"Mine?"
"I thought you might not like me to say 'Ours.'"