“Brightside,” said I severely, “don’t lie. And don’t yawn, because when you yawn you still lie.”
“Girls are a topic that bores one, you know,” said he. “But I s’pose you did pop it. She seemed rather familiar. She called you Dimmy.”
“You noticed that?” said I.
“Everybody noticed it,” said he. “And did you pop it?”
“Like a brick,” said I.
“Then you’d better tell me all about it,” said he, exposing his hand at last. “Then perhaps we shall both feel sleepier.”
Thereupon, without the exercise of the least piece of pressure, I entered on a flowing, exhaustive and frank relation.
CHAPTER XVIII
I Receive Instruction in a Heart-breaking Science
AT the end of this exciting story, the Optimist said:
“Quite a neat idea, this trial by cricket, from one point of view. The point of view is hers. It’s an attempt of course on the part of feminine delicacy to let a fellow down gently. You haven’t a thousand-to-one chance of beating her, you know.”