"I was—just around," vaguely.
"Not around here," Desire was uncompromising. "Benis, I think we should really be more businesslike. We should have talked this thirteenth chapter over yesterday. I see you have a note here for some opening paragraphs on The Apprehension of Color in Primitive Minds—"
A cascade of goblin laughter from Yorick interrupted her.
"Yorick is amused," said Benis. "He knows all about the apprehension of color in primitive minds. He advises us to go fishing."
Desire watched him stroke the bird's bent head with a puzzled frown.
"I wish you wouldn't joke about—this," she said slowly. "You don't want that habit of mind to affect your serious work."
Spence looked up surprised.
"The whole character of the book is changing," went on Desire resolutely. "It will all have to be revised and brought into harmony. I'm sure you've felt it yourself. In a book like this the treatment must be the same throughout. I've heard you say that a hundred times. It doesn't matter what the treatment is, the necessary thing is that it be consistent. Isn't that right?"
"Certainly."
"Well—yours isn't!"